If they are bloody and torn apart, then they are Falling
by if-llamas-could-fly
Summary: Originally called 'Falling'. The morning-star fell more than just once, and every time he fell, there was a human there to catch him. Pre-Lucifer's Fall from heaven. Rated for torture scenes and swearing.
1. Angels don't just fall

**A/N I seriously, big time, adore Lucifer. I know that that is pretty much insane, but I just prefer him so much more to the rest of the pompous archangels (Gabriel being an obvious exception). Do I love Michael? Not so much... This story is just pre-series, pre-EVERYTHING, and mostly revolves around Lucifer's falls. It ****_is_**** a multi chapter, but because this chapter is small, (I just ****_had_**** to cut it off where I did...), I will be posting two chapters per each day of posting. WARNING: All my chapters are pretty small unless I have reason to elongate them for the simple reason that I am too impatient too type out long winding things and my brain just works in short spurts. I am still not sure if I'm including the Winchesters in this story, or if I am including direct references to the show ****_at all, so there _****may****_ be spoilers for all the seasons..._**** I need to learn to stop rambling, on to Luci and his adventures! :) **_~Sammy_

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He had _fallen_. He had fallen so many times, it wasn't a shock anymore. The first few times, he had been terrified, and exhilarated, the falling in itself was an act of defiance. Nobody dared fall. Nobody but he. Now, the thrill was gone, it was routine. Hardly any time passed between one fall and the next. It was beginning to get tiresome. But he could not stop. If he stopped falling, who knew where he would land? Every single being knew of his third fall,it was the most well recorded even in mythology and history. Nobody knew, however of his first falls, the ones that led to his next acts of defiance. His first fall, the first fall ever, was into love.

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Lucifer had grown up surrounded by his brothers, Uriel, Raphael, Gabriel, and, _of course_, Michael. Nobody _ever_ forgot Michael. He was the brightest of them all, the most favored son, the greatest archangel to ever exist. Lucifer hardly ever thought of this though, none of them did. How could they find time for Pride or Envy, when they were so consumed by their devotion to their Father? He loved the five of them the most, they were His favorites out of the many angels He had created. Then the five of them grew up, and though their devotion did not wane, their minds and hearts evolved and they began to explore their surroundings. They lost the innocence they had been created with as they questioned the things around them, Lucifer more so than the rest. The only one who remained completely loyal, who refused to question anything their Father made, accepting it unconditionally, was Michael. He became the unsaid leader of the angels, his undying faith in their Father his greatest virtue. Lucifer was the only one of the opinion that it was a weakness, that it blinded him to the unjust creatures their Father had created. Their Father was perfect, but His creations were not. Earth was just a place to store all the things that had turned out wrong.

Lucifer often fought with Michael and his other brothers, but for the most part, they were united. They _were_ family after all, family never gave up on each other. Everything was as perfect as it could be. Then their Father did the one thing, the only thing, that could throw everything off balance. He created Man. That simple act was not what ruined it though, their Father's mistake was that He loved them too much. So much so that He began to ignore His angels. Yet Michael remained faithful, encouraging all the angels to love mankind too. All of them found that loving them wasn't particularly difficult, they were such fascinating creatures, they found themselves getting absorbed in all of Man's activities. Lucifer too, found himself feeling affectionate towards this fragile species his Father had created. They were intriguing.

The angels would often visit Earth, to check up on all the creations living there. Some died out, some flourished. Sometimes Father would instruct them to annihilate a few of His creations whenever He thought that they were getting out of hand. Lucifer had been the only angel to feel a thrill whenever they wiped those abominations off of the face of the planet. He had had a particularly fun time when they were told to get rid of the dinosaurs. All the angels had joined hands and formed an extremely large meteorite-like heavenly object, and Lucifer had propelled it into the surface of the Earth, destroying almost all the life there. The other angels mourned the loss of so many innocent lives, but Lucifer was secretly overjoyed. He loved the power that coursed though him whenever he succeeded in breaking something, be it as large as a star, or as small as an atom. He hid his emotions well though, he knew what his siblings would say if they found out about his perverse pleasure.

Lucifer became a master at keeping secrets, his lies were foolproof, he could persuade anybody into doing what he wanted. The other angels didn't realize what he was doing, their innocence and blind Faith their eventual downfall. Only his brother, Gabriel, had a vague notion of Lucifer's deceitful capabilities. Lucifer did not worry, however, of Gabriel exposing his true self to Father. Gabriel was undyingly faithful to Lucifer, his imperfect brother, and Gabriel preferred him to the almost sickeningly pompous Michael. Gabriel had learnt how to be mischievous from Lucifer, soon he had excelled and even crossed Lucifer at trickery. Gabriel was not a threat to Lucifer's games.

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**A/N I really don't have a fixed schedule, so I might not have a regular posting time, but I'll try to get in new chapters for any and/or all of my stories each week. Till then, enjoy the next chapter! :D **_~Sammy_


	2. Michael isn't all that great you know

**A/N I seriously, big time, adore Lucifer. I know that that is pretty much insane, but I just prefer him so much more to the rest of the pompous archangels (Gabriel being an obvious exception). Do I love Michael? Not so much... This story is just pre-series, pre-EVERYTHING, and mostly revolves around Lucifer's falls. I am still not sure if I'm including the Winchesters in this story, or if I am including direct references to the show ****_at all, so there _****may****_ be spoilers for all the seasons..._**** I need to learn to stop rambling, on to Luci and his adventures! :) **_~Sammy_

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Lucifer, as much as he resented a few of the things his Father had dictated, _was _truly devoted to Him. In fact, the only angel whose love for Father challenged his own, was Michael's. Father, too, was quite fond of Lucifer, He took comfort in the fact that even His wayward son remained true to Him. Lucifer never even considered revolting. The thought of disobedience never crossed his mind. Why should he disobey, when he had no reason to? Why should he fight something he had no grievance with? Why should he leave heaven, give up his home, for a cause he did not yet have? _Why should he fall, when he had nowhere to land?_

Lucifer had been on another round, visiting Earth, clearing up the trash, throwing away the defects, clearing away the imperfections. He generally didn't interact with the humans, that was Michael's fancy. He and some other angels would 'get it off', so to speak, with some of the more attractive human females. Naturally, it was forbidden, but Michael was so loyal in every other way, nobody doubted him. Lucifer only knew of Micheal's _extracurricular_ activities because he had accidentally walked in on Micheal and some gorgeous whore going at it in a clump of bushes. Lucifer had never before blushed a deeper red, and Michael had, mortified, made him swear to never reveal this to any other angel. Lucifer had sworn, and Michael had gone back to being a pious angel with a horrible secret.

It wasn't that Lucifer couldn't see the _appeal. _Humans made amazing vessels, and well, the females _were _rather beautiful, but Lucifer just never managed to bring himself to join Michael when he went off on his trips. Michael had asked him plenty of times, there were a _lot _of attractive woman on that forsaken planet, but something stopped Lucifer. His conscience, maybe? He doubted it though, his conscience was pretty silent when he got up to the things that were probably worse than letting off a little steam with a woman. Lucifer just found that even the thought of it repulsed him, he hated the idea of _using_ somebody like that. Sure, he used other angels when he needed to get some mischief done, and he used humans whenever he needed a vessel on Earth, but those women were just so innocent looking, he couldn't bear the thought of simply _pretending_ to love them. It was unforgivable.

Technically, as angels, they didn't have a gender, they just went with whatever vessel they could find. Generally though, they all had their preferences, and all of the archangels had decided that they preferred being male. Except Raphael, he always seemed to find a woman for a vessel. It was sort of disturbing, but the rest of them just let him be, whatever he was comfortable with was okay with them. Even if it did give them a bit of a dilemma as to whether or not he was their _brother_ or not. Lucifer found that Micheal had a preference for his vessels being some shade of blonde. Micheal found a strange 'purity', as he put it, in the fairness of their hair, and it appealed to him. Lucifer honestly couldn't care less about how his vessel looked. It was just a suit of sorts, what difference did it make?

Lucifer's vessels ranged from hulking masses of muscle, to tiny lean figures. The only similarity was the ability of his vessel to intimidate, size notwithstanding. He was just like that, he didn't like being weaker than anybody. It wasn't only physical strength he sought though, he also had a tendency to question everything, to look for answers. Not exactly normal behavior for an angel, they were supposed to be obedient pawns, waiting for their next move to be told to them. Lucifer, however, wasn't the only angel who didn't exactly conform, little unimportant pieces that didn't belong to the puzzle. None of them were quite ready yet though, they were still perfect fits, they still had potential. There was one angel, a seraph, insignificant. Lucifer wouldn't have looked at him twice if he hadn't gotten a feeling about him. He was still one of the obedient ones, faithful to the core, but Lucifer knew he was different. He would wind up a great ally or a powerful adversary one day, he was sure to rebel. Castiel had a great future ahead of him.

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**A/N Yes, yes, the Lucifer in my head, knows about Castiel okay? Anyway, this is all I've got so far, any suggestions? I will take them as long as they don't interfere with the story I've got planned out in my head. :) **_~Sammy_


	3. The devil's idle memories of want

**A/N: NOTE THERE ARE KIND OF VIVID VIOLENT DESCRIPTIONS IN THIS CHAPTER AND THE ONES THAT FOLLOW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. I know it's been less than a week, but I was just so excited to upload this that I kind of decided to do it ahead of what I had planned. Anyway, I don't own any of the angels (like ****_that's _**** even ****_possible) _****nor do I own the show, but Sabien is ****_my_**** character and I would really appreciate it if you didn't steal her. also, in case you need any help pronouncing her name when you're reading this, I meant for her name to be read as ****_Say-bee-ehn_****, but you can say it any way you feel comfortable. also, because this chapter is longer than my usual length (which isn't really saying much, I know...) but anyway, I am only uploading this one for now. Enjoy! :D **_~Sammy_

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Hell is _boring_. Like, run around in circles tearing at your hair kind of boring. There is nothing to _do_. Unless you find carving people up entertaining. And truthfully, after their first few decades, most of those tortured souls, they find themselves enjoying it. The blazing fires, the sulphuric smell of the brimstone, the high pitched keening of those poor things still on the rack. Still, even while tearing at bloody flesh, even when laughing a mirthless laugh, echoed by _hundreds_, no, t_housands_ of faithful demons, even then, Lucifer finds himself wishing for a change. As much as he enjoys the pain he causes through his cage, he still yearns for the clear yet cloudy skies of heaven, the days that they had spent, lazily floating through the air, the safety of being in Father's lap, he yearns for it all. And most of all, he yearns for _her_.

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Lucifer had chosen a vessel, for once, that Michael had approved of. Tall, muscular, brown eyes, and black hair that reached his shoulders. Those were the first and last things that Lucifer noticed about him, because, honestly, he couldn't care less. His vessel hadn't been a praying man, not even believing in the heathen gods, but when Lucifer had approached him, and offered to make his life easier by taking over, he had agreed. Not that Michael knew that. Angels, _especially_ archangels, were not supposed to coerce their vessels into accepting them. In Lucifer's mind though, it wasn't coercion if there was no threatening. Temptation wasn't the sin of the one who puts it there, the blame goes to the one who gives in to it, who jumps into the stormy sea of want. Wanting was an unknown entity for Lucifer. Michael understood it, to some extent, his want for obedience from the other angels, his lust for those women was a want. Gabriel understood, his want for peace his greatest longing. Uriel wanted acceptance of his superiority over the seraphs. Raphael's want was for power. They all wanted, wished, hoped, yearned. But Lucifer wanted nothing, not knowing what his angelic heart, what his _entire being_ desired. He did not wish for anything. That is, until all his unknown hopes, his unseen dreams, his unbidden yearnings, found him.

He was perched on a boulder, his wings spread out behind him. He was pulling his fingers through the feathers, straightening them out, combing through all the knots. His wings suddenly disappeared, and Lucifer whipped around to see a woman walking towards the rock he was seated on. She hadn't seen him yet, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was _beautiful_. Not in the sense that would have Michael on top of her in a second, but the kind of beauty that angels possessed. One that showed the grace shining within her. She was a mortal, a _human_, but she may as well have been one of Father's greatest creations. Her hair was the color of the soil after a light shower, her green eyes were like jewels sparkling in the light of a hundred galaxies, her skin was the color of wheat, her cheeks were kissed by the sun, and Lucifer found himself wishing to hear her speak. To sing songs of redemption. To reveal the wings that he was certain his Father had given her. For, mortal as she was, she _deserved_ them. The unknowing smile on her face, the light brown locks tumbling down to the small of her back, it captured every bit of heaven that Lucifer adored.

When she was close enough, Lucifer jumped off of his makeshift seat, and loped over to her. She looked up at him, and took in his handsome face, the casual smile spread wide, and the confident way he held himself. She found herself smiling too, there was something about him that demanded attention, a truthfulness that was evident in the greeting he tossed her way, an innocence in his eyes that captured her trust. Lucifer was in a similar state. He had never deigned to talk to humans before, other than the most perfunctory of conversations. But he could imagine talking to this woman, sitting and listening to her for the rest of time. He wanted to know everything he could about her. He wanted her to keep smiling at him forever, he wanted her to take the hand he was holing out, he wanted her to say his name over and over again, he wanted _her._

Her name was Sabeim. A name that an angel would be proud of. A name that sent shivers down Lucifer's spine. She had smiled at him, she had taken his hand, and let him lead her to the rock he had been sitting on. She wasn't shy in the least, and she had been the one picking up their broken conversation with little tidbits of information that Lucifer already knew, but coming from her, it was so fascinating, he found himself learning it all again. She told him of the constellations that dotted the skies every night, of the paths the sun made through the year, of the grasses growing that her village-folk would gather, of their beliefs. _They believed in angels_. They called them the _Regiments. _Lucifer almost fell off of the boulder when he heard Sabiem saying that. All these eons of roaming the planet, and the angels had rarely found any people who believed in them, or in Father. And here was a whole village of believers. Lucifer would have flown straight to heaven right that instant, if not for the woman sitting in front of him. She hand a grasp on both of his hands, a comforting warmth in them. Her eyes shone even brighter as she described the Regiments, how glorious they were, how they roamed the planet, protecting the innocent and fighting for fairness.

_Oh if only they knew how different angels really are. Like we really care about justice, we just follow orders. Sick twisted orders that eat away at our Grace. Orders that aren't made for the good of this planet, just for the good of heaven, and the benefit of the angels themselves. How are we any better than those demons we smite? _The sarcastic voice in Lucifer's mind piped up. Lucifer silenced the voice, wishing it would go away. It was getting louder with every moment that passed, and it was bringing up thoughts that he shouldn't be having. Angels weren't supposed have those kind of thoughts. _Angels aren't supposed to be cruel either, but that doesn't stop us from being so._ Lucifer shook his head again. Shut up. _Shut up yourself. I don't like being ignored. You don't either. So suck it up and admit it already. You __**need**__ this. You can't help but doubt. _Lucifer screamed at the voice silently, begging, pleading for it to stop, but it continued with its monologue of snarkiness and trickery.

Sabiem didn't notice the war waging in Lucifer's mind, only for the simple reason that Lucifer had grown accustomed to hiding things. They sat, holding each others hands, staring into each other's eyes, and the sun began to set. Sabiem saw the waning light, and jumped up, explaining that she had to go back to her village. Then on an impulse that she couldn't explain, she had only _just_ met this strange man, she promised to meet him again the next day in the same spot. She smiled one last time, and ran back to where she came from. She didn't see the giant shadows that spread behind Lucifer. Didn't see the black silhouette of wings that was beginning to have an unnatural red seep into it. Didn't see the way the beautiful man lay down on the rock, preparing to stay there until she came back to meet him. Didn't see the peace that crept across his face even as that voice hurt him. Didn't see that they were both hopelessly lost in the other.

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**A/N Yay! Another crappy ending! Hope it's keeping you on you toes in anticipation of the next chapter though, cause believe me, it is awesome. :) **_~Sammy - who wouldn't mind getting a few reviews... just saying...-_


	4. That rock? Yeah, it's ours

**A/N Hey everyone! I know, it's been ages, but I have excuses. Finals in a month, Having like, zero time between revision and dying of depression and anxiety, and other stuff. This chapter was typed up entirely on my phone, so if there are any mistakes, blame that piece of crap technology that I call my cellphone. Sorry for its shortness! Anyway, enjoy! **_~Sammy_

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Bushes are burning, and the soil beneath his body was melting, turning to molten lava as his wings drove him further into the ground. He hadn't so much _fallen_, as been kicked out, heaved to the Earth, and he plummeted, his Graceless wings useless. the boulder, _their _boulder, it was rubble, ash, dust. It was gone, and for once, the voice in Lucifer's mind was silent. It choked, and when it finally spoke, it sounded broken. _Not that, anything but that. Destroy anything else Father, condemn me for the rest of eternity, sentence me to burning fires, and tortured screams, never let me have a moment of peace. But not that Father, please don't destroy that. It is the last thing I have, she's gone Father, I have nothing else left. Save for me, that one piece of Earth, and I will pay the price for the rest of time. I promise. _Their boulder, that blessed rock where he had met her, it became whole once again, and Lucifer's mind was filled with the torture, filled with the price for his sins, filled with atrocities from every world, filled with Father's Wrath. Yet he smiled, as he fell, as he burned, as he was torn apart, because the rock was safe, she was safe, and Hell for the rest of eternity was better than losing either.

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Weeks flew by, and Lucifer couldn't remember a time when he had been happier. Sabiem met him every single day, and they would talk. Lucifer was more of an 'action not words' kind of angel, it was Michael who loved talking, but Lucifer found that talking to Sabiem was as easy as flying. Flying was second nature to all the angels, but every single one of them, Michael excluded, advocated that Lucifer was by far the best at it. Even Michael, after losing all his races with Lucifer, admitted that his little brother was a 'good flyer'. Coming from Michael, that was the highest praise Lucifer had ever recieved.

Sabiem would sometimes make Lucifer help her with her work. She would hand him a sickle, and he would help her harvest the grasses that grew near her village. She would carry silt from a nearby river to the fields to use as a fertilizer, while Lucifer would spread it amongst the crops. Lucifer found the manual labour to be demeaning in a way, and he often wondered why Father hadn't given the humans Grace. If He truly loved this weak species, why didn't He make them stronger? Lucifer tried to stop this flow of thoughts, not wanting to awaken that infuriating voice. Most of the time though, he was too late, and the voice would attack him again._ Father didn't give them grace because He doesn't want to make them like angels. Father hates us angels, He thinks that we are a mistake. He just keeps us around because we are obedient, Lucifer. The perfect little soldiers aren't we? Never tire, never rest, never smile, never doubt, always fight fight until our grace runs out and then Father just makes new angels. But the humans, oh Father absolutely adores them doesn't He? They are a useless species, their 'superior intelligence' is nothing compared to ours. We should have been given orders to wipe them out ages ago. But Michael would never give that order, would he? Not when Father loves them, those insignificant mortals, more than us, his first creations! FATHER IS WRONG LUCIFER, AND YOU KNOW IT._ Shut up, shut up, just shut up! Who am I to question Father, or Michael? I am just the second son, I am just an archangel, I am just Lucifer.

Sabiem had realized that Lucifer was sometimes more wrapped up on his own thoughts than he let on, and it worried her. He would pretend to be listening to her, but she could tell from the faint lines that carved themselves into his face, that he was bothered by something. He would grip his neck, his hair, put a fist against his forehead, as if he was trying to drive out whatever he was thinking, as if he wanted to rid himself of whatever ideas were forming in his mind. Sabiem was scared for him, and she tried to find ways to distract him from his thoughts, to make him forget his torture. So she sang. Lucifer had never heard a voice so sweet. In all of heaven, even the angels endowed with throats of honey, none of them could compare with the music that swelled from Sabiem's heart, the notes escaping her lips were pure, and Lucifer was more at home when he heard her sing than when he was in Father's lap, surrounded by his siblings. His voice was always silenced the moment she began her song, as if the voice too was in awe of the melody. No vile hateful thoughts churned around his mind, no plans for rebellion formed, unwanted, no desperate need to escape, no feeling of being smothered. It all disappeared when Sabiem sang. Who cares that it all came flowing back with a vengeance when she stopped, that it attacked him when the tune died out? In those few moments of peace, Lucifer rejoiced in the songs dancing around him, and he could let go completely. Well, almost completely. Lucifer struggled to keep his wings hidden when Sabiem sang. The first time she had started her song, he had lost control, and his wings whipped out, spreading from horizon to horizon. He had pulled them back in the very next second though, and Sabiem blinked, thinking it was just a trick the light was playing on her eyes. Lucifer had to make sure that he never let anything slip, never let her know that he was anything other than another human. She suspected something, of course, he was exotic, and his behaviour wasn't normal, but she figured that he would tell her whatever he was hiding, whenever he was ready to tell her.

Sabiem had grown used to seeing Lucifer waiting for her on that rock. It was a constant, and she found that seeing him sitting there, a smile on his face, his warm brown eyes meeting her emerald ones, it was more comforting than the village she returned to every night. When he held her hands in his, when his entire face lit up as he described his father, when the slight slip in his smile betrayed his sadness when she had to leave, it was then that Sabiem's faith was renewed. The Regiment's must be watching over them, for how else could she have met this... creature? This beautiful, kind creature that stirred feelings within her that she could not quite put a name to. She knew, though, that these feelings were mutual, she had seen them in Lucifer's eyes. They were good feelings.

Lucifer, the only archangel who never cared about appearances, had become vain. Not vain in the sense that he cared more about his looks than anything else, but he found himself feeling conscious about the appearance of his vessel. He would look at his reflection in the nearby pond every night after Sabiem left, and every night he would fidget with his hair, and smoothen out the new clothes he created every night, and would keep making adjustments to his vessel until he was satified. It kept him busy until the next morning when Sabiem would return, but Lucifer realised that he was always trying to impress Sabiem. Why would he be doing that? Michael never tries to impress the women on purpose, never tried to make them smile with one twitch from his lips, never tried to keep holding their hands every second they were together. So why would he try to impress Sabiem? He told himself that she didn't mean anything more than the other humans. Lies. It seemed he couldn't stop lying, even to himself. Because, in all honesty, Lucifer knew that Sabiem had wormed her way into the heart he was not supposed to have.

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**A/N Umm, you guys shall have to wait for the next chapter, because writing it is painful, I have to take breaks from it and try not to break down, so yeah... figure out how to survive without me and my updates! ;) **_~Sammy_


	5. When heaven weeps, the world's falling

**A/N Hello my beautiful darlings. I know I said that you poor things would have to wait until I uploaded my next chapter, but it turns out that I work pretty fast when I want to, so this chapter was churned out pretty quick. Yay to my brain cooperating for once! Anyway, there are some things that need clearing up... Firstly, even though this is pre-fall Lucifer and I am ****_sort of _**** sticking to what was written in the bible, this is bordering on AU cause I am changing a few things so they fit my story and I am sorry if you have a problem with that, but I never claimed to be following the Bible exactly so... yeah. Also, because this chapter is particularly angsty, THERE ARE SO MANY SWEARWORDS IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND. This chapter is one of the things I kept in mind when I was rating this fanfic, so I gave it a T and I apologize in advance for all the cussing that follows. and... THIS CHAPTER IS SORT OF LONG! yay! I have to say thank you to TheResurrectionist for the awesome reviews and making me feel good about my self and this story, so THANK YOU. Enjoy! :D **_~Sammy_

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The deeply muscled chest was barely moving as it took in shallow breaths. It has just regenerated onto the rack, along with the rest of the huge person Lucifer had ripped to shreds just moments before. It was his true vessel, the vessel who had overcome him, who had seized control, and condemned him, once again, to this shithole that he was trapped in. That's not why Lucifer was carving him up though, it wasn't some sick form of payback. No, he had forgiven his wayward vessel almost immediately. Contrary to popular belief, Lucifer was not one to hold grudges. '_Forgiveness is divine_' and all that sunday-school bullshit. Hey, devil as he may be, he was an angel, heck, he was an _archangel_ at one point, he wasn't completely hopeless. No, Lucifer was torturing his vessel, because, _really_, the boy was strung up on the rack, and Lucifer had a butcher knife in his hands. How can you hand satan a weapon and expect him to not use it, especially with such a perfect victim laid out right in front of him? His vessel looked down at him, his towering frame quaking with anguish as those cruel hooks dug into his flesh. On his face was an expression of defiance that was so familiar to Lucifer, a pang of hurt reached his blackened ashen heart. "Oh Sammy Sammy Sammy..." he said, tracing the blade across his vessel's stretched skin, smiling a bit at the thick crimson blood that dripped from the incision. Pain rippled across his vessel's face, before being replaced once again by that challenging expression. "You know Sam," said Lucifer thoughtfully, "you remind me of somebody I lov- ...knew a really long time ago..."

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Sabiem looked up, a mixture of hurt and defiance playing across her mutilated face. Lucifer could feel his anger boiling over, and he was one second away from smiting every single one of the people present. They were asking for it, harming his Sabiem, they were invoking the wrath of a furious Regiment. Humans shouldn't play with fire. The village chieftain looked at Lucifer with disgust, and spat at the archangel's feet. Lucifer ignored this insult, he had more important things to attend to. He turned his back, as difficult as it was, to the villagers who should face eternal torment for the vile act of cruelty they had committed, and looked down at Sabiem. With a touch softer than the feathers of a newly created seraph, Lucifer put his hand on her face, and shuddered as he felt her broken jaw, the swelling under her lips, the wetness of the blood seeping from the gash inflicted by a swipe of a villager's knife across her face. Sabiem whimpered, leaning into the light touch of his hands. Her knees gave way, and Lucifer caught her before she hit the ground. He picked her up, holding her against his chest. The smiting and the wrath of the archangels would have to wait, first he had to make sure that Sabiem was fixed. The chieftain sneered at Lucifer, "Go, take your dirty whore. Disrespectful piece of meat you're holding there. Go ahead and have your way with that slut, nobody from this village is going to stop you. She no longer belongs here. Begone." Lucifer almost tore the insolent man apart right there. But Sabiem was in his arms, and she was hurt. The torture he had reserved for this bastard would have to wait. Lucifer stormed off, carrying Sabiem in his arms, whispering that it would be alright.

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_Lucifer had been sitting on their boulder, reveling in the sun's rays as they caressed the tanned skin of his vessel. He had experienced countless sunrises and innumerable sunsets, but still Lucifer managed to find happiness as the yellow gold star shone upon this tiny piece of heaven, hidden on Earth. The buttery sunlight reminded him of his own golden wings, and he spread them wide. They were huge, larger than any seraph's, larger than Gabriel's, or Uriel's, or Raphael's. Larger than Michael's too, not that Lucifer would ever tell him that. He grinned as the light warmed the glorious wings. The feathers were pointed like daggers, and their edges were serrated, sharp, deadly. His wings, once pure gold, were beginning to change color, and he was worried. Red had started to creep into the feathers, reminding him of innocent human blood coating cruel knives. The wings were now bronze at the edges, and some, just a few, of his feathers were completely red. Every shade of red that existed, from the heart of a warm fire, the rosy tinge of a blushing cheek, the scarlet of a flower bud, to the vermillion of a barely healed scar, the crimson of war, the angry flush of a fatal wound, every single hue, was painted on his wings, in those sparse feathers dotting his enormous wingspan, like blood spattered across a flag that called for loyalties._

_Lucifer had been flexing his wings, stretching away the soreness of keeping them hidden for so long, relishing the warmth of the summer air flowing through the feathers, when he had heard them. A commotion from the village nearby. Sabiem's village. Lucifer was of half a mind to ignore it, human quarrels were not his concern, but then he heard the only voice that could have had him jolting up, and flying as close to the village as he dared before tucking his wings away and flat out sprinting to the source of the noise. Sabiem's raised voice was something Lucifer had never heard before, but he recognised it in an instant, and it drew closer with every large stride he took as he ran._

_They were standing in the middle of the village, encircling her. Pelting her with stones and beating her with sticks. Still she stuck her chin up at the old man who was screaming the loudest and directing the most curses at her. "No." She said, her voice thick with emotion, "I will not marry you, you vile son of a bitch." The old man, the village chief, Lucifer realized, glared at Sabiem, and spat out, "Why, cause you love somebody else? It doesn't matter you bitch, your poor dead parents__** begged**__ that you be allowed to stay here, and I let you didn't I? I let you live within the boundaries of my village, I shared our food with you, I gave you work. I did it all, and my only condition was that you marry me one day. And now you refuse to do that, because you apparently love this outsider?" Sabiem spat out a mouthful of blood as the villagers continued to mutilate her, to slash at her with swords, to curse her, to damn her. "I owe you, I owe you everything, I know that, but I cannot, I will not marry you. The only person that I can marry, the only person I can spend the rest of my life with is Lucifer. Because I love him. I love Lucifer."_

_The archangel was frozen in place, shocked into immobility, and he could do nothing but watch as the chiefman's face flared with anger, and he strode towards the bruised and beaten woman who dared defy him. Lucifer was incapable of moving, but the minute the bastard's fist made contact with Sabiem's face, and he heard the crunching of bone, he bounded forward, and shoved the creature, for he was not worthy of being called a man, away, using much more force than neccesary. Nobody hurt his Sabiem and got away with it, __**nobody**__._

* * *

Lucifer wished he could just fly away to safety, Sabiem in his arms, protected. But she was staring at him as he carried her, walking so swiftly and gracefully that she wasn't jolted at all, and he didn't want to scare her with the revelation that he could fly. That would he rather diffucult to explain, and he would much rather not wipe Sabiem's memories, it felt like a betrayal. So he walked, walked until they reached a small hillock that was far enough from the cursed village for Lucifer to relax. Sabiem had fallen into the peace of unconsciousness, and as much as that worried Lucifer, he let her rest for a while, as he set her down on the soft springy grass. Lucifer watched her smile slightly as the grass tickled her, and then took a deep breath, trying to calm down the savage part of his brain that was filled with bloodlust and pure fury.

Lucifer could feel Sabiem's eyes burning into his back, and he reluctantly tore his gaze away from the direction of the village that he could set on fire with just a thought. But, as much as he yearned to personally destroy every last wretched soul in that little settlement, as much as he wanted to hear their screams and have them beg Sabiem for forgiveness, as much as he wished to make them suffer, Sabiem was here, and he would never let her see that side of him. Not if he could help it.

"Lucifer... Luc-" choked out Sabiem, her voice breaking, the pain evident. Lucifer dropped down to his knees next to her, and his hands hovered centimeters above her trembling body. "Sabiem," he whispered, more to himself than anything else, "Sabiem you're going to be fine. You will be fine. I- I will make you better. I... I'll make sure nobody hurts you ever Sabiem. Don't worry, we will- you will be alright." Her eyes drifted shut again, as Lucifer subtly let his immense Grace surround them. She looked more peaceful, but her jaw was still broken, her lip was still cut, her arms were still bruised, her entire body was still covered with swollen marks from the pelting and beatings, and her gorgeous, earth-shatteringly beautiful face was still caked with more blood than Lucifer had thought possible. It was then, looking over her devastating injuries that Lucifer decided that hiding what he truly was wasn't worth losing Sabiem over. He had to save her. He gently nudged her with his Grace, slowly awakening her from the sleep her had let her slip into. She cracked open her eyelids, and her green eyes sparkled as she saw him staring at her. "Wow." She said, smiling as much as her broken jaw allowed, "Still can't take your eyes off of me can you?" Lucifer couldn't help but let out a short laugh at that. Sabiem's eyes softened and she whispered, "Thank you Lucifer, for saving me." Lucifer just looked at her for a few seconds, unable to think of anything to say. He turned around again, his back to her, and he stared at the horizon. There were sigils carved into the ground in a wide circle around them, nothing dangerous could get closer than twenty feet from Sabiem. She was safe. But she was still injured, and Lucifer couldn't stand her being in pain for one second more than she had to be. He faced her again, and grief washed through him. She would hate him, she would be reviled, but he had to save her. She had said that she loved him, but did she love him enough to stay, even when she found out thay he was not human?

Lucifer sat down next to her, and put his hand on hers. "Sabiem, you're really badly hurt, and I can't think of any other way to do this. I will have to leave the second I do though, I can't stay. But you will be safe as long as you stay here. I wish that I could be sure that you won't hate me when I do this, but I'm not, and you won't trust me again. Sabiem, this is goodbye." Lucifer touched two of his fingers to Sabiem's forehead, and let his Grace flow through her, fixing up all the broken pieces, healing whatever injuries he could find. Lucifer wished that Raphael could have been there, he was the angel of healing and he would have done a much better job of it. Sabiem gaped at Lucifer as she felt all her wounds disappear, as all the pain was whisked away. He stood up, and his wings spread out far behing him, taking her breath away. His entire body was shining with his Grace, and Sabiem had never seen a more perfect, a more exquisite sight in her life. "Regiment..." she mumbled, as she realised that the man in front of her was not a man, but something a hundred times better. He was an angel.

Lucifer could see the shock in her eyes, and another emotion, something he could not decipher. Hatred? Revulsion? Disgust? Whatever it was, it filled her soul, and Lucifer's heart was wrenched. "Farewell Sabiem." He said, before preparing his wings to fly away. In the flutter of his wings, he could have sworn he heard her say "Stay Lucifer, I love you." But that was just the wind, and his mind, and that damn voice in his head playing tricks on him. He was not human, she knew that now, so she could not posssibly love him. Not the way he loved her. And as Lucifer flew, to where he did not know, his bloodstained golden wings flashing in the dying sunlight, his mind wishing that his hallucination has been true, and that she did truly still love him, he realised that he had fallen. Fallen in love and fallen for the most amazing creature to ever have graced the world with her presence. As he fell for her, as he fell in his own eyes, it was then that fell the first tears to ever be shed by heaven.

* * *

**A/N I know that this chapter has a sense of finality to it, but fret not my poppets! More awaits you! There is still SO MUCH stuff to be covered, I doubt this is getting over anytime soon so, ANTICIPATE! :D **_~Sammy_


	6. A slice of heaven & a glass of prayers

**A/N Hey guys! I'm back, with a ****_lot_**** more angst! I apologize in advance for any traumatization that you may suffer due to this chapter, but if you are easily influenced, I strongly suggest you read something lighter, 'cause this is so angsty it will blow your pants off! Anyway, this chapter was a bitch to write, but it somehow turned out longer than any other chapter, so yeah... my brain works in mysterious ways... Enjoy! :D **_~Sammy_

* * *

"Oh come on Sammy, you're stronger than this. Stop crying for your brother and fight your own battles." said Lucifer, taunting the giant of a man who was screaming in agony as he was slowly dragged apart, the rusted cruel hooks merciless. Sam glared at him through his acute distress. God, he really hated the devil. "Aww... what's wrong Sammy? Did mean ol' Lucifer hurt you? Is the big scary knife too sharp for you? Do you want your big brother to save you?" said Lucifer, cackling as he slashed away at Sam's chests, occasionally throwing punches and breaking his ribs. Sam howled, the pain sweeping through him and ravaging his, already frayed, nerves. The flames licked away at his wounds, scorching his tattered flesh, and sending new waves of pure despair and agony through him. Lucifer, seeing that Sam was almost spent, grew impatient for a fresh batch of vessel, and so he plunged his wide blade into Sam's heart. Oblivion was welcome to Sam, but it was a gift he received so rarely, he had learnt to appreciate the few seconds of nothingness that enveloped him until he regenerated. Lucifer had been particularly violent and swift with his torture for the past few hundred times, so Sam was anticipating the lazy smile on the Devil's face. Lucifer liked taking it slow every once in a while, preferring to just let Sam bleed, albeit rather painfully, it was _torture_ after all, and then talk about random things while Sam suffered. The shallow incisions were small, but they were positioned so perfectly that they hurt more than the deepest of cuts, and they bled slowly but surely, the thick red blood dripping at a pace that drove Sam crazy. But honestly, if he could choose between hearing Lucifer's stories, and slowly losing every drop of blood in his body, he would choose the latter. Lucifer was not only the most _annoying_, attention seeking _asshole_ Sam had ever encountered, but when he told his rambling tales, _he_ tried to _relate_ to _Sam_. Like the younger Winchester had _anything_ in common with _Satan_ goddammit. Yeah, he was his vessel and all, and sure, they both had severe daddy issues, but the similarities ended there. Sam closed his eyes, wincing as the cuts stung more than they should, considering their insignificant size. Lucifer was still talking, saying something about how he had gotten bored all alone in Hell and so he had created demons. Sam really couldn't care less about the whims of the fallen archangel, so he tried to tune out his tales. If he concentrated really hard, Sam could almost forget the excruciating pain he was in, and imagine that he was just sitting in the Impala with Dean, his brother chattering on about how they _had_ to hit a bar in the next half-decent no-name town they reached.

Sam was just on the verge of forgetting where he really was, forgetting what was really happening to him, forgetting who he was really with, when a finger poked him sharply in the chest. He jumped, and then groaned as the chains chafed his raw skin. "_Samuel_..." whined Lucifer, "don't ignore me!" Sam rolled his eyes, and said, exasperated, "Well, I'm not sorry. Now I'm just pissed. You woke me up from a good dream!" Lucifer looked nonplussed for a minute before a sly smile slid across his face. "You can't dream in Hell, Sam. Believe me, I've tried. It's probably harder for me though, cause, you know, archangel and all." "_Fallen_ archangel." said Sam, correcting him through gritted teeth. Lucifer killed the anger rising through him, and continued like he hadn't been interrupted rather rudely. "Still, nobody can dream in Hell, you can't fall asleep here. Can't even be unconscious, so, sorry Sam, but that wasn't a dream. I can tell you what it was though... you were just retreating into your own mind, back to where you were safe, and where the devil isn't picking on you." Sam groaned, a mixture of pain and annoyance in his voice, "Oh my god just _stop talking_!" Lucifer looked at Sam curiously, and then incomprehension gave way to understanding. "Oh, you think that I'm just saying things to get you on the edge? Firstly Sammy, you don't need any help getting to the edge, you already got there. Heck, you already took the plunge. Literally. Didn't really appreciate that by the way. There's a reason I want outta here, this place _blows_. Secondly Samuel, I'm not lying, or making things up. I actually know what I'm talking about. You're not the only one with a place to escape to when things get too intense. I mean, I've got one too and..." Lucifer's voice trailed off when he saw Sam's head slump down. He pulled Sam's chin up, and looked at the boy who'd had to grow up too fast and too hard. "Guess I drained you dry, didn't I? Hmm... Have fun in that safe place Sam, it's not gonna last long." Lucifer snapped his fingers and the husk of his vessel disappeared, to be replaced by a young, scared, renewed Winchester, ready to be tortured once again. Lucifer willed away the ridiculous moisture that had collected in his eyes, betraying him. "Sorry for not letting you rest Sammy. I get bored, and a bloodless corpse with putrid flesh isn't fun to play with. The screams aren't loud enough." A sadistic smile shone on his face, and the knives jumped and twirled, performing the most beautiful dance Lucifer had witnessed in a long time.

* * *

When their Father created them, He realized that the angels, innocent and trusting as they were, would need a place to run away to, without having to leave heaven. Children, even His beloved soldiers, needed space. So He commanded that they all find a piece of heaven that suited them, however big or small, and they could do what they liked with it. Michael had been the first to choose, and he made no secret of the fact that he chosen the part of heaven that was closest to the coveted Garden of Eden. _Every angel_, from the highest ranking Guardians, to the lowliest seraphs, they all knew where Michael's, _chambers_ of sorts, were. Gabriel chose his spot next, but he hid it so well that none but Father, with His all knowing smile, knew where it was. Lucifer had picked a place as far from Michael's as possible to do without offending him. Lucifer adored his older brother, but he knew that he would mostly be using his spot to escape him, the greatest fights usually occurred between the two of them. And Lucifer had been right, he had spent many years in his spot, avoiding Michael. Michael had no knowledge of the whereabouts of Lucifer's 'room', he only knew that it was close to his own. In fact, none of the angels knew where Lucifer's spot was. Only Gabriel was entrusted with its location. Lucifer used his spot as a place where he didn't have to hide, didn't have to control his Grace, didn't have to pretend like the Heavens revolved around Michael, instead of Father.

It was his little bit of Heaven that he found himself in, as his emotions overwhelmed him. The tears would not stop, and they fell, honest, silver, and beautiful. He was rocking back and forth, howling as every memory of her filled his all-encompassing mind. Her laugh, her smile, her voice as she serenaded the sunlight, the warmth in her hands as they fit perfectly into his. Then he recalled what he wished he could forget, what he wished had never happened. Her cries, her blood-caked face, her cracked ribs, her pain. The skies above him suddenly flashed red, and the ground around him seemed to be on fire. It looked terrifyingly similar to something horrible, and for one split second, Lucifer thought he had somehow ended up in Hell. The skies returned to their glorious cerulean, and Lucifer's panic dissipated. His wings unfurled, and the panic was back with a vengeance. The gilded wings were still turning red, the lower half of his brilliant wings were covered with feathers so gleaming bright and fiery, they could be gleaming rubies. He was stroking the silken feathers with trembling hands, when he heard a familiar fluttering sound. "Lucifer?" "... Gabriel..."

Gabriel was standing, shell shocked, gaping at his brother. Or, to be more specific, alternating between watching the tears streaming down Lucifer's face, and staring at his brother's blasphemous wings. Which of the two was more worrying, Gabriel didn't know, all he knew was that Lucifer needed him. "Luce..." he said, creeping towards his brother as quietly as possible. Startling Lucifer when he was vulnerable was not a good idea, and he _really_ didn't want to spend the Grace necessary to fix the wings he knew Lucifer would tear out of Gabriel's back if he so much as moved a hand too fast. He sat down next to his shattered brother, and let his Grace mix with Lucifer's. Enochian had a word for everything, but it didn't have enough words to express how much Gabriel cared for his brother, and how much he wanted to know what was wrong, so they could just talk it out. Lucifer shuddered when Gabriel's Grace touched his own and hid his wings, but was immediately comforted by the familiarity. Everything was wrong, but Gabriel was here for him, and that was right.

_It's not because it's right Lucifer, he's just here 'cause he's obligated to be here. He wishes right now that he hadn't come here, he'd much rather be with Michael, or on Earth, playing pranks. Anywhere but here, with you. Gabriel doesn't care, Lucifer. He doesn't care about you at all._ "JUST SHUT UP ALREADY YOU DAMN SON OF A BITCH!" cried Lucifer, throwing his arms around his head, clawing away at his hair, trying to tear out the cruel fucking consciousness that had invaded his previously impenetrable mind. Gabriel's eyes widened, and he pulled Lucifer's hands away from his head, holding his forearms in an iron grip. "Lucifer, stop. Tell me what's wrong. What's causing these... tears? This sorrow?" Lucifer shook his head, trying to make that freaking voice just _shut up_ already._Sorry darling, can't get rid of yourself, y'know. I'm a part of you, just like your Grace. Now, you wouldn't want to go around ripping that out, would you? Same deal with me. As long as you've got your Grace, you've got me. Kind of a package deal._ "Why can't you just shut up then!?" shouted Lucifer, exasperated, frustrated, and, quite frankly, scaring the heck out of Gabriel. "Luce, talk to me!" said Gabriel, shaking his distracted brother.

"Gabriel, there is this... consciousness. Inside me. In my head. It tells me things that I don't want to know, _horrible_ things. With every sentence it speaks, my wings are changing, and I'm _scared_. It whispers to me in the dark, says all these words that are I _know_ are lies, but Gabriel, they sound so _true_ when it says them!" Lucifer was trembling, and Gabriel was terrified to see his favorite brother, and in his eyes, the bravest Soldier Father ever made, reduced to such a state. It exuded wrongness. "That's not the worst part though Gabriel. The worst part is that... I think that... that voice... Gabriel, I think that voice might be _me_! That it's _just me_, thinking all these murderous, cruel, _vile_ thoughts!" Lucifer was shouting now, and Gabriel could feel Lucifer's Grace swell with fear and fury. Gabriel was horrified at the turn his brother's train of thought had taken. He wrapped his arms around Lucifer, and held him as Lucifer continued to wail, continued to mumble in Enochian to whatever 'voice' had taken residence in his mind. Gabriel considered calling Michael, but then realized that Michael was probably the last thing Lucifer needed at the moment. So Gabriel simply held Lucifer, stroking his hair, wiping away the river of tears carving a path down his face, saying that it would be alright. Finally, Lucifer stopped keening, and he just stared at Gabriel, his eyes still watering. "Thank you Gabriel. For being here. It... it said that you didn't want to be here, that you wanted to leave." Gabriel squeezed Lucifer's shoulder reassuringly, "Well, the voice is _wrong_. Why would I want to leave my favorite brother? You are the _least_ annoying angel in all of Father's garrisons you know..." Lucifer laughed, though rather shakily, and Gabriel grinned, happy that he had managed to cheer up his brother.

Gabriel looked up at the skies, which had turned into a foreboding shade of purple-black somewhere along the way. "So," he said, as nonchalantly as possible, "what's up with your 'chambers'? I haven't seen it this way since Father forbade you from wiping out the Leviathan." Thunder rumbled, and lighting cracked across the skies, scarring it, tearing any sense of peace apart. Lucifer's face betrayed the anger he felt at that memory. "I _still_ think that Father should have let me annihilate them, purgatory is not a sufficient punishment." Gabriel sighed, "I know that you believe that, but Father believes that purgatory will do them good, so we must believe in Him." Lucifer ran his hands through his hair, annoyed, with himself, and his ridiculous thoughts. "I do believe in Father Gabriel, but I sometimes think that His judgement is... blinded. No, wait _hear me out_! " he said, as Gabriel opened his mouth, looking affronted. "Father knows everything, I know, keeping secrets from Him is impossible. That means that He knows what I think of him, and He hasn't punished me for that yet. He gave the humans free will, but I think that Father gave us that too. I think that we are allowed to make our own choices. He made me this way for a reason, I think Father _wanted_ me to think for myself. And I do, Gabriel, I don't, I _can't_ just follow Michael's orders. I love the humans, I do, but I hate them so much too." Gabriel struggled to keep his shock and fearful awe out of his voice, "But... _why_?" Lucifer looked his brother straight in the eye, and he knew that he was going to ruin Gabriel's innocence. But there was no other choice. He had to know. "Humans are worse than the Leviathan, Gabriel. They are cruel, selfish, violent, bloodthirsty creatures. Gabriel, I've seen them kill for no reason but to entertain themselves. Animals fight for self preservation, even the Leviathan killed for sustenance, but these humans, they murder each other in cold blood, just because they feel like it! They yell and cheer when their weaker brothers are slaughtered, and their eyes burn with a lust for bloodshed. Such abominable creatures never walked the Earth before them. They belong in Hell, Gabriel, they dared to hurt innocent beauty, they dared to hurt her, they dared to hurt Sabiem..."

"Lucifer, who is Sabiem?" Gabriel looked shattered, haunted, and it was Lucifer's fault for telling him things he shouldn't have known about, but none of that mattered in the moment his little brother said her name. All the pain, the agony, it swept through him once again, and Lucifer screamed, screamed her name, screamed and begged for forgiveness, screamed and wished that she would still love him. Gabriel was frightened again, his brother's inner turmoil was something alien, angels were never so fully immersed in their emotions. Soldiers didn't need emotion, they simply fought their battles, and defended Heaven. Why then, was Lucifer being tortured by them? So Gabriel, Father's messenger, Lucifer's favorite brother, his voice strong and true, helpless, unable to do anything but this, sang. Lucifer's eyes flew open with shock as the first few notes reached him, but soon he calmed down completely, and a small smile reached his lips, and the tears escaping him finally stilled. Lucifer's little slice of Heaven was filled with thousands of rainbows, the skies were the most beautiful azure Gabriel had ever seen, and Lucifer was shining bright, his true form letting go of the shadows and storm clouds it had covered itself with. This was paradise in the making, and Gabriel was awestruck.

"So, Luce, getting in touch with our inner artist now, are we?" said Gabriel, smirking. Lucifer grinned and hit him across his arm, and Gabriel pouted at him in a mock-hurt expression. "Ouch. After all I've done for you, this is how you repay me? I'm hurt..." Lucifer laughed at Gabriel's antics, and mentally thanked his brother for pulling him out of that downward descent into depression and doom. "_Hilarious_ Gabriel... and umm... thanks." Gabriel flashed a smile, and shrugged, "No problem bro, you always did like my singing." "Actually, I like hearing anybody sing, your voice is just something I have learned to put up with..." said Lucifer, his lips twitching into a smile. Gabriel looked offended. "Hey, I'm Father's messenger, my voice is _gorgeous_." "_Sure,_ whatever you say Gabriel." Said Lucifer sarcastically. Gabriel giggled, actually _giggled _and Lucifer couldn't help but smirk at that. "Well, Gabriel, I didn't know you were taking laughing lessons from _Raphael_." "Shut up..." grumbled Gabriel, before lying down on the grass and staring at the sky. Lucifer laid down next to him, and for a second he remembered doing the same thing with somebody else, somebody he loved as much, no, _more,_ than his brother. The memory was forced into a corner of his mind, locked away, and beaten into submission, until it was barely there anymore, just a ghost of what it once was. The clouds drifted slowly, and there was the slightest hint of a breeze blowing across both the archangel's faces. Lucifer, still unsure of what he was doing, but trusting Gabriel completely, unfurled his wings, and let them spread out behind him as he continued to watch the clouds swirl in the sky. Gabriel, for his part, didn't stare at Lucifer's wings, but simply spread his own wings out, their deep rich shades of brown and amber contrasting with Lucifer's own, rather flashy, wings. They both shivered slightly as their wings brushed against each other, the feather's slipping and sliding over the other's like oil and water. Gabriel looked at Lucifer, who was still absorbed by the sky, and noticed that Lucifer's vessel was the most well taken care of vessel he had ever seen. His hair was soft, his clothes were fresh, and it glowed with something that Gabriel had only seen before in humans. He sighed, and rolled over on the springy grass to look at his older brother. "Luce..." "Hmm?" said Lucifer, not looking away from the hesitated, "Do you love her?" Lucifer whipped up to a sitting position so fast one would think his wings were on fire. Considering the crimson feathers, that wouldn't be an unreasonable assumption to make. His voice was somewhere between disbelief and shock and embarrassment, "What? What are you talking about Gabriel?" Gabriel groaned, "Oh, you're gone for, aren't you?"

Lucifer had turned a red so bright, it rivaled the vermillion of his changing feathers, and Gabriel found himself laughing so hard, it was bordering on hysteria. "Oh, I _told_ those cupids to be careful, but _no_, they just _have_ to make _everybody_ fall in love." Lucifer blushed even further, and Gabriel couldn't control the bouts of laughter shaking his entire body. "You didn't answer my question, Luce, are you in love?" Lucifer's face was burning bright, and he nodded without meeting Gabriel's eyes. "Aha!" exclaimed Gabriel, triumphant, "I knew it!" His eyes flashed mischievously, and a crooked smile slipped onto his face as he lay back down on the grass and sighed. "Sabiem... not a bad name, actually. Strange for a human to have a name like that though..." Lucifer gaped at his brother, "How do you know she's the one I love?" Gabriel looked at Lucifer disbelievingly, "Wow Luce, a few months on earth, and already as dense as the humans... I'm Father's _messenger_, I know a_ lot_ of things." Lucifer huffed in agreement, and went back to watching the clouds, whispering just loud enough for Gabriel to hear him, "I really do love her, Gabriel." "I know you do Luce, but you know that you'll have Hell to pay when Father finds out about this." "I'm sure that _Father _already knows, not very much happens that He is not aware of, and the exceptions are things he _chooses_ to ignore. What I'm really scared of, is _Michael_ finding out. He'll throw a fit when he does." Gabriel grunted in agreement, and the two brothers were silent for a few moments. Gabriel grimaced after a while, "Hey, Lucifer, do you think you could answer your own prayers for a while, I've kinda been keeping them off of you for a while, and they're starting to build up. It's sort of uncomfortable." "Why would you do that Gabriel? I'm older than you, I can take care of my own prayers!" Gabriel looked guilty, "Well, you weren't... you weren't really in your greatest condition, and I thought I'd take some of your load off of you... sorry..." Lucifer just shook his head and smiled, he would never admit it, but he thanked father every day for giving him a brother like Gabriel. He reached out with his Grace, and opened himself up to prayers once again, and winced as an avalanche of prayers tumbled onto him. He took a deep breath, and listened to the first one.

Gabriel watched as Lucifer sat, paralyzed, the prayers threatening to overwhelm him. Lucifer was completely still, save for his eyes, which widened as he listened to each prayer. Lucifer face paled, before turning a brilliant pink again, and his eyes were filled with shock, amazement, and, the most dominating emotion, love. Gabriel knew better than to ask when Lucifer jumped to his feet, his wings spreading out to their full glorious length. A few more of his feather had turned red, but Gabriel knew better than to bring that up. He also knew better than to point out that Lucifer's eyes were manic, and filled to the brim with tears. Gabriel knew better than to try to reach his brother with his Grace. Gabriel knew his brother, and he knew that Lucifer was drowning within himself. "Gabriel, I-" "You've got to go, I know." "The prayers, Gabriel, they were-" "From Sabiem, I know." "Thank you, Gabriel, you helped me more than you can imagine..." "I know, Lucifer, I know..." Gabriel did not move as Lucifer beat his wings a few times before taking off and flying the fastest Gabriel had ever seen him fly. Lucifer hadn't told him everything, he hadn't even explained why he was leaving, but Gabriel, the faithful little brother, just _knew_.

_**Lucifer, it's me, come back...**_

His wings moved of their own accord, leaving his piece of heaven further behind him with every movement.

_**Lucifer, it's Sabiem. Please, come back.**_

He _was_ going back, he wasn't leaving his heaven behind, no, he was getting closer to his paradise with every second that passed.

_**Lucifer, why did you leave? Did I do something wrong?**_

_As if_ she could ever do _any_ wrong in his eyes... He left her because... why_ did _he leave in the first place? No amount of logic seemed to make sense.

_**Lucifer, I'm sorry.**_

She shouldn't apologize, it was his fault for not staying, for not protecting her.

_**Lucifer, don't you love me? Is that why you left?**_

_Of course_ he loved her, that's why he was so torn.

_**Lucifer, I love you.**_

She loved him! She really loved him! Could an archangel's heart explode with happiness?

_**Come back Lucifer...**_

_I'm coming Sabiem, I'm coming for you..._

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_****_**A/N Ahhh! yes, I'm cruel and awesome at the same time! Want anything sad/happy/suspenseful/bloody to happen in the next chapter? Tell me in a review, and I'll see what I can do! :) **_~Sammy_


	7. If golden stairways bleed red: kiss me

**A/N Ugh. Guys. I know, it's been _ages_ but Oh My Gosh I was just so goddamn busy! Like, my finals started on last Wednesday, and I had to study for my Math, English and art papers so I was just all: I DON'T HAVE FO' THIS SHITZ! Now, I have my Literature paper on Monday and I've gotta study Shakespeare and so many poems it's killing me! Just, sorry for taking this long. Besides the last couple of weeks being my personal Hell, I've been suffering from an acute case of writer's block, and I WAS ACTUALLY INCAPABLE OF WRITING DOWN ANYTHING FOR DAYS ON END. This chapter was the ultimate BITCH to write, so you guys should be happy it turned out even half-decent. Anyway, this chapter has taken the story down a different road, and the formatting is kinda different from the one I usually stick to. For one, the Lucifer-Sabiem interaction is rather minimal, it's more concentrated on Hell... (IT HAD TO BE DONE!) Also, there is like so much samifer in this chapter I think I'll just jump off of a cliff now. The hurt/comfort is on a ridiculously large scale in this chapter, I just had so much fun writing Lucifer this way. HE IS BEING EXCEEDINGLY OOC IN THIS CHAPTER OKAY PLEASE DON'T KILL ME FOR THIS. TheRessurectionist, I am sorry if this didn't turn out the way you asked, I just couldn't help myself. Oh and, SAMMY IN A WHITE SUIT! This chapter could essentially be a songfic, and well, that's 'cause Lucifer is the angel of music, and I am currently obsessed with the song that this chapter is revolving around. (I LOVE LED ZEPPELIN TO DEATH) Ahhh... stop my rambling I must. Also stop speaking like Yoda I should. Argh. I can't just shut up, can I? Whatever, please forgive me for the delay, and enjoy this deliciously long chapter! :D **_~Sammy_

* * *

Sam was waiting. Waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for the illusion to fade, waiting for the hallucination to dissolve, waiting for the blades to slice away at him once again. Waiting, because what was in front of him just _could_ _not _be real. How could it be? How could he believe that what his eyes were telling him was the truth, when they said that Lucifer, the devil, was being nice to him? Impossible. He had finally cracked. After decades of torture, decades of agony, his mind must have finally broken. This just could not be real. He was in the_ cage_, with _Lucifer_. The beautiful table laid out in front of him, groaning under the weight of the magnificent feast spread out on top of it, it was a mirage. It could not be real, because it was too perfect to belong in Hell.

Lucifer had to say, he really had outdone himself this time. The expression on Sam's face was priceless. Lucifer was filled with a sadistic mirth, and he couldn't help the small burst of laughter that escaped his lips. Sam looked up at him, paralyzed in his fear and confusion. _Priceless._ "Well, Sam, aren't you going to sit down? You know, it's rude to stand and stare at food like that, it's bad manners." Sam stepped forward, the first step he'd taken in years. He seemed to be in a complete daze. Lucifer was ecstatic. Sam pulled back the chair, and sat down on it gingerly, as if he was expecting it to disappear any second. Lucifer sighed, he was so not that unimaginative. He had much better ways to torture Sam than pranking him with a disappearing chair. That was more of Gabriel's style. He peered at Sam's disheveled state, and clucked his tongue, dissatisfied. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly Sam was all cleaned up, and clad in a tastefully tailored pure white suit. Lucifer grinned. Much better. "What are you waiting for Sammy? Dig in!" Sam just stared at him, dumbstruck. Lucifer sighed again, and snapped his fingers. Juicy cuts of the finest meats, fresh salad dripping with mouth watering dressings, exquisite delicacies from around the world, they all appeared on the plates in front of Satan and his vessel, and a glass of red wine popped into existence next to each of them. Sam jumped, startled by the sudden appearance of the most delicious looking food he had ever set his eyes on. Lucifer popped a forkful of the food into his mouth, and moaned in delight. In the name of Father, this food was divine. Lucifer took another bite of the lustfully delicious meal, and closed his eyes, reveling in the ridiculously amazing flavor. When he opened his eyes, he saw his vessel's plate lying untouched as Sam stroked the sleeve of his suit, apparently marveling at it. He then proceeded to pick up a spoon, and look at it in wonder. Lucifer huffed and ghosted a hand over his face. Of all the times to be slow, Sam just had to pick this moment. "Sam," he started, "stop acting like this is all going to disappear. It's all real, I promise." Sam dropped the spoon and slammed his fist down on the table, before practically growling "And why should I believe you? How do I know that this isn't all part of some elaborate torture?" "You don't." Lucifer smirked. His Samuel had it all figured out. "I never said that this wasn't torture, I just said that this is all real. Now, if a gorgeous banquet happens to be painful for you, I can't help that." Lucifer pointed at Sam with a knife, and chuckled when Sam flinched at the blade "You see Sammy, torture doesn't always entail sharp objects and flesh having a party. Sometimes, torture is different."

Lucifer had grown bored of sticking Sammy with daggers and scalpels. There was only so much you could do with a sharp blade. Not many demons seemed to understand that though. Lucifer was sure that if he had been the one executing the torture, the righteous man would have been broken in a _day_, let alone thirty _years_. Alistair may have been an expert, but Lucifer was the best. Lucifer prided himself on being the most creative of all the angels, and he figured that he should try to have a different kind of fun with Sam. Tug at the old heartstrings in a different, more agony causing way. Hence the feast. Sam had been in complete denial when Lucifer pulled him off of the rack, screaming and apologizing for whatever he may have done to deserve what new pain Lucifer had in store for him. Of course, he hadn't expected to have a sit down dinner with the devil.

Sam narrowed his eyes, the hazel orbs flashing with suspicion. Lucifer scooped a mouthful of mashed potatoes into his mouth, and watched as Sam picked at his food with a fork. "Sam, I swear that it's not poisoned or anything. What's the fun in killing you like that?" Sam glared at him for a few seconds, and Lucifer put on his most innocent expression. Sam stabbed a leaf of lettuce with his fork and very slowly put it in his mouth.

When nothing happened, and Lucifer continued to nonchalantly shovel down his food, Sam shrugged slightly and proceeded to eat the severely tempting and overwhelmingly aromatic delicacies in front of him. Lucifer watched as Sam chewed, his hazel eyes widening a bit, a small smile gracing his lips. Lucifer grinned, and leaned forward when Sam put down his fork, evidently full. "So Sammy, this is much better than being chopped to pieces, isn't it?" Sam choked on the wine he had been sipping, and the crimson drink was sprayed across the table, accompanied by much spluttering and apologies. Sam took in deep breaths, nervously eyeing the angel sitting across him. Lucifer simply sat, a polite smile on his lips, his eyes burning with something that Sam could not recognize. It wasn't a sinister or a threatening look, in fact, Lucifer looked almost harmless.

Lucifer stood up slowly, and loped over to stand behind Sam. Sam stiffened when Lucifer put his hand on his shoulder, and gently squeezed. Their surroundings suddenly morphed and shifted into a cheap motel room that looked almost identical to the innumerable ones Sam had stayed in with Dean. The memories assaulted him, a tidal wave of greasy breakfasts, playful rough-housing, doing research while his brother watched television, shooting bitch-faces at aforementioned brother, and waking up every morning, knowing that he was safe, because Dean was watching over him, Dean would always protect him. The memories flowed swift and powerful, and Sam sat down on one of the beds with a gasp, clutching at his hair, trying to drive out the pounding in his brain. Tears sprung to his eyes as he recalled every memory of every mundane moment spent in identical rooms with his brother. He missed his brother so much, it was as if a gaping hole had been punched through his chest, his beating heart being ripped out and crushed right before his eyes. Lucifer watched Sam, watched the tears rolling down his cheeks, and a part of him rejoiced. His plan was working. Sam was so used to the burn of the flames, the tearing of his flesh, the agony as the acid ate away at his skin, he was so used to physical pain, that even the slightest mental despair was complete and utter torture for him. Yet, even as a sardonic smile reached his lips, and he resisted the urge to laugh out loud, even then, a tiny part of Lucifer was filled with the need to comfort the boy weeping in front of him, to put him out of his misery, and to end this ridiculous experiment.

Lucifer plopped down onto the bed next to Sam, and put his arm around Sam's wide shoulders. Sam shook it off, but Lucifer remained unfazed, and put his arm back around him, pulling Sam slightly closer to him in a strange one-armed hug with two rather unwilling participants. Lucifer put up his best neutral expression, and held Sam close as sobs shook through the young man's wide frame. Lucifer shifted so that Sam was cradled against his chest, both his arms forming a protective cocoon around him. Lucifer didn't know why he was doing what he was, all he knew was that doing it felt right. He rested his chin on Sam's head, the shaggy brown hair tickling his face. He found himself sighing, in exasperation at his own softness, in contentment at the warmth of the figure crushed against his chest, in relief at the decrease of the severity of the wails emanating from this broken soul who clung to him like he was life itself.

"Oh Sammy..." he mumbled, practically purring as he stroked Sam's silken brown hair. Sam sniffled, a few more tears running down his face and adding to the source of the wetness of the shirt that Lucifer was wearing. He snuggled closer to Lucifer, his arms wrapping around the devil's waist, and tightening, pulling him closer. Sam shivered a bit at Lucifer's cold touch, but didn't pull away. Lucifer gently rocked back and forth, trying to comfort the very man he had torn to shreds so many times before. Sam hummed in contentment, and the despair surrounding him in a dark cloud slowly began to disappear. Lucifer suddenly remembered all the times he had been comforted, all the times he had felt safest, and he was filled with a need to give that to Sam. He started to sing in a low lilting voice, closing his eyes and losing himself in the words.

_There's a lady who's sure, _

_all that glitters is gold, _

_and she's buying a stairway to heaven..._

Sam's breathing slowed, and his shoulders relaxed, the tension draining away from his strained heart.

_When she gets there she knows,_

_ if the stores are all closed,_

_ with a word she can get what she came for..._

Sam's face was buried in Lucifer's shoulder, but Lucifer could feel Sam's weary facial muscles stretching into a smile.

_Ohh oohh ohh and she's buying a stairway to heaven..._

Lucifer found himself melting into the once-great hunter's embrace.

_There's a sign on the wall, _

_but she wants to be sure,_

_ cause you know sometimes words have two meanings..._

Sam sighed, and Lucifer was grinning at the sound.

_In a tree, by the brook, _

_there's a songbird who sings, _

_sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven..._

Sam shifted to look at Lucifer through half closed eyes, his face still streaked with tears. "Thank you Dean..." he whispered, and Lucifer gave him a sad smile, knowing that Sam was delirious from the his latest bout of weeping. He didn't have the heart to tell Sam that he was wrong, that Sam was in hell, with Satan himself, not safe in the arms of his brother. "Oh, Sammy, I finally broke you didn't I?" There was no pride in finally achieving what he had been striving to do since he was locked back into his cage, only remorse, and pain. Lucifer tightened his grip on Sam as he felt their surroundings shift again. The two of them were suddenly sitting on a headstone in a dilapidated cemetery. Or rather, to be more specific, Stull cemetery, Lawrence, Kansas. He was confused. He hadn't meant to leave the false motel room, but his tainted Grace seemed to have acted of its own will. Realization dawned, and along with it, came horror. "Oh no... No, stay away. Stay away, leave me alone!" cried Lucifer, holding onto Sam, and hoping that his suspicions were wrong. But when did hoping ever work for him? No, he was the devil, and nobody, save the young man in his arms and his forsaken brother, had luck worse than his. Fate had some serious issues with Lucifer. Sam stared at him curiously. He was bemused. Why was Dean talking like that? Who was he talking to? Why couldn't he sing again, sing and hold him close?

_What are you doing Lucifer?_ "No, go away!" _Oh no, can't do that. You'd miss me too much._ "No."_ You can't do anything without me, look at what you've come to, consoling a human, consoling Sam Winchester! I can't let you do that Lucifer, you know what happened last time..._ "It's not the same thing! Sam is different, he's my true vessel." _Oh but Lucifer, he's a human all the same. You remember what happened last time you got close to a human_. _D_o_ you really wish to subject Sam to that, do you want to submit yourself to that?_ "Shut up! Just, go away, you kept quiet for so long, you can do it again. Leave. Now." Lucifer's voice was quivering, but his tone was unmistakable, he was furious. The voice spluttered for a few seconds, and Lucifer let out a feral snarl that had it falling silent in an instant. He looked down at Sam who was clinging to him like a child. Sam's eyes filled with tears again, and his voice broke as he spoke, "Dean, why are you angry? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry Dean, I'm sorry. Don't be mad." Lucifer could feel tears forming in his own eyes, and he buried his face in Sam's hair. "I'm not mad Sammy, I'm not. It's okay, it's alright, I'm here, I've got you..." "Dean, will you sing for me again?" "Sure Sammy."

_There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,_

_ And my spirit is crying for leaving._

_ In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,_

_ And the voices of those who stand looking._

_And it's whispered that soon, if we all call the tune,_

_ Then the piper will lead us to reason._

_ And a new day will dawn for those who stand long, _

_And the forests will echo with laughter._

* * *

He landed in the same place he had left her, and walked up behind her, tucking his wings away. She may know what he is, but he wasn't ready to have her see his wings. He couldn't scare her more, he couldn't bear hearing her asking him to leave. Because she would. When she saw his cursed wings, his blood tainted feathers, she would make him leave, she would make him fall to pieces. He took a step towards her, staring at her back, marveling how the moonlight illuminated her, and made her, if possible, even more beautiful. A lump formed in his throat as he watched her gaze into the distance, her eyes expressing something that Lucifer just could not understand. "Sabiem..." he managed to choke out before tears overwhelmed him again. By the time she whipped around to look at him, her eyes widening in shock, he was sobbing. Sabiem's eyes softened, and she took a step towards him. Lucifer backed away, holding his hands out, trying to make her keep her distance. Not yet, he didn't deserve to touch her just yet. Didn't deserve to be forgiven without even uttering an apology. "Lucifer, I-" started Sabiem, but Lucifer cut her off, not wanting to hear her ask him for forgiveness, not when she had done no wrong. "No, Sabiem, don't apologize. It's my fault. I... I panicked. I thought that you would hate me, when you found out who- when you found out what I am. I'm so sorry Sabiem." She suddenly looked very angry. She stalked over to him, stopping when she was right in his face. The rage in her eyes, Lucifer deserved it. He deserved the anger, the fury, the accusations she would throw at him.

If she decided to hit him, to punch his face, to break his jaw, he would let her "Lucifer, shut up. It was not your fault. Don't you dare say that. Anybody else would have reacted the way you did. I would have done the same exact thing. So, no, you don't get to apologize to me, you don't get to wallow in this guilt that you shouldn't even feel!"

Lucifer's jaw dropped. He had been sure that Sabiem would be angry, or hurt, or happy, that he had left. This was completely unexpected. "But Sabiem, I left you." Sabiem didn't seem to appreciate his protests though, they only made her angrier. "Didn't I just tell you to shut up? If the only things coming out of your mouth are apologies, don't waste your breath. Just, stop. Please. I'm not mad at you, okay? I don't care if you're a Regiment, or if you will destroy me and my village. I don't care that you're not human. I don't care if this, us, isn't allowed. I'm just happy that you're back." Lucifer smiled a bit, "Of course I came back. You prayed to me." Sabiem stared into his brown eyes for a full minute, not even blinking her green ones, drinking in the love she could see brimming over in the Regiment's words. "Of course I prayed to you. I love you." Sabiem hesitated for a moment, trying to gauge Lucifer's reaction. She must have believed in what she saw, because she put both her hands on Lucifer's shoulders, and pulled him closer to her. Their lips touched, Lucifer's arms wrapped around her waist, and Sabiem relaxed into Lucifer's embrace. Lucifer's breath was sweet, and her skin tingled where Lucifer touched her.

Lucifer could feel his Grace flaring, could feel it taking him over, and he couldn't bother enough to think about the consequences. For he was finally kissing the woman he loved, and heaven had nothing, compared to the ecstasy he felt. He pulled his lips away from hers, and planted kisses down her jaw, all the way to the base of her neck. Sabiem shivered, Lucifer's touch was cool, but smiled, and sighed. He growled when she pulled away from him, not wanting to let her go. She smiled at him reassuringly, and he reluctantly released his grip on her. Sabiem sat down on the ground, the tall grass rustling underneath her. She patted the ground next to her, silently asking Lucifer to join her there. Lucifer nodded, but didn't sit down immediately. He would have loved to throw himself onto the ground next to Sabiem, but he had to make sure that she was safe first. He walked around the field checking the sigils and wards he had put up, surrounding Sabiem with a net of safety. When he was satisfied that nothing had been tampered with, he flung himself onto the grass, and rested his head on Sabiem's lap.

She smiled at him, and ran her hands through his long hair. She was watching the clouds rolling across the skies ever so slowly, in a breeze that was too light to be felt by mere mortals, walking on the dusty earth. Lucifer was staring at her jade eyes, the stars making her eyes twinkle, causing them to sparkle like jewels. She looked down at him, and caught him staring at her. Red painted her cheeks, and Lucifer was fascinated. Red was blood, red was anger, red was cruelty, red was hell, red was his curse. Yet it seemed that red was beautiful, that it was shy, that it was desirable, that it was love. Red was everything. Red was nothing to be ashamed of.

He reached out, and pulled Sabiem down until he could just brush her lips with his own. He could feel her breath on his face, could feel the warmth of her blush, could hear her heartbeat grow faster, could see her emerald eyes widen. He gently kissed her, softly pressing his lips against hers, cold against hot, rough against soft, archangel against human. Their faces were still pressed together, when he whispered, so soft that only she could hear him, but so passionately that it could set the world on fire, "I love you Sabiem." Her cheeks turned a brighter shade of scarlet, and Lucifer grinned. He pulled her into an even deeper kiss, and his wings unfurled, his Grace shone bright, and all of Heaven was brought down to that one simple meeting of flesh. Silver light, golden feathers, and crimson wings surrounded them, as every part of their love for each other settled into place, and they were finally together. Lucifer couldn't care less that his wings had lost every golden feather, didn't care that his Grace was tinged with a vermillion, didn't care that he could feel a dangerous fire start in his heart, for red was nothing to be ashamed of.

* * *

_If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now, _

_It's just a spring clean for the May queen. _

_Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run _

_There's still time to change the road you're on. _

_And it makes me wonder._

_Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know, _

_The piper's calling you to join him,_

_ Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know _

_ Your stairway lies on the whispering wind?_

Lucifer felt their surroundings shift again, but this time, it wasn't his Grace doing the work. No, it was the Grace of another archangel. Lucifer's grip on Sam tightened as they found themselves back in the cage, fires burning, screams echoing all around, the sickening crunch of bones reverberating through its blood painted walls. Sam whimpered, and hid in Lucifer's arms, terrified. "Michael, leave us alone." growled Lucifer, glaring at his brother, suppressing the overwhelming urge to rip that smirk off of his face. Michael tutted, and took a step towards his little brother, his smirk widening when Lucifer took a step back. "Michael, I am serious, just fucking leave us alone." demanded Lucifer, but it sounded too much like the desperate pleading of a dead man to have any effect on his cruel sibling. Michael's vindictive face contorted into a horrendous mock-sympathetic expression, and his voice dripped with faux-pity, "Oh, Lucifer, my dear little brother, you know I can't do that..." Lucifer winced, Michael's words echoed those of _that voice_, they hurt just as much, they infuriated him the same way as well. The next thing he knew, he was shouting in Enochian, at a volume that could shatter diamonds, but didn't even make Michael flinch, "And why the fuck can't you leave us alone, huh? What fucking happened that you needed to get your bloody over-inflated head out of your sore arse and stick it in my business? You've happily been sharing the cage with me, using my torture devices to hurt that poor second-choice vessel, Adam, and you never once thought to speak to me, or interfere in whatever the fuck I'm doing! So, please, enlighten me, my dick-headed brother, what Father-forsaken stick got jammed so far up your arse now that you just had to grace me with your not-at-all-welcome presence?"

Michael blinked once, not even looking the least bit scared. He'd been Lucifer's older brother for eons, the knew perfectly well how to handle Lucifer's anger. The smile was back, with a sadistic curve added to it, that sent Lucifer's protective gear into overdrive, his broken Grace flaring out in a warning. He shifted Sam's limp and trembling form so that Sam was standing upright, albeit still leaning heavily against him. Lucifer wrapped an arm around Sam's wide shoulders, and Michael's eyes narrowed as he took in the movement. Disapproval shone in his eyes as he took another step towards Lucifer. "You know why I'm talking to you now! You know that you're making a mistake!" Lucifer's eyes flashed with fury, "Go fuck yourself Michael. I am not making a mistake. My only mistake in the recent past is not banishing you to a corner of the cage so that I don't have to look at your prissy face all the time." Michael's voice was low, but deadly, "Lucifer, stop with this unhealthy habit of yours. It is ridiculous, and it's only going to cause more harm than good." Lucifer knew perfectly well what Michael was talking about, but he needed to hear Michael spell it out for him, "Oh, yeah? And what, exactly, is this 'habit' of mine?" "You get too attached to some of the humans, don't you Lucifer? Everybody thinks that you simply loathe all of humanity, but I know you Lucifer. You just hate the evil ones, the cruel ones, the ones whose souls should rot away in hell. The others, the ones who are pure, virtuous, oh well, you absolutely hate those don't you? Too stuck up for your tastes. But put a human who's gone through a lot of crap on front of you, and your heart just melts into a puddle of love, right?" Michael was sneering now, and Lucifer's lip curled in hatred. "Just shut up Michael. You don't know shit."

Michael just smiled, his eyes gleaming. Lucifer was caught completely off guard when Michael suddenly pounced forward, digging his claws into Sam, and tearing him away from the devil's strong grip. Sam wailed, and Lucifer roared, ready to rip his brother's head off of his shoulders on an instant. Nobody touched Sam but him. _Nobody_. Michael danced away from Lucifer even as he immobilized him. "Uh-uh. Sorry, Lucifer. Can't have you rescuing Sam from what he deserves." Michael smiled, flashing his teeth, briefly revealing the well-hidden part of him that was just as cruel as Lucifer. Lucifer stood, rooted in place, struggling against the bonds Michael had put on him, even as he tried to comfort Sam, who was weeping, pleading with Michael to let him go, begging Dean to save him. Michael looked at Sam with a look of pure disgust, and shoved Sam back onto the rack, pulling the hooks through Sam's flesh, putting the rusty shackles on his wrists too tight, thoroughly enjoying Sam's agonized screams.

Michael picked up a long curved knife from the table covered with a paraphernalia of torture devices, lightly running his fingers over the sharp edge of the blade. He gave Lucifer one long inscrutable look, before turning back to Sam and violently slashing away with the dagger, ripping Sam's chest to shreds. Shrieks of pure agony resounded through the cage. Even as Lucifer shuddered at the noise, vowing to Michael pay for this, wishing he could save Sam from this pain, even then, the voice inside his head rejoiced at the sounds of acute despair.

Michael's face was splattered with crimson blood, and his lips were stretched into an evil smile as he observed the turmoil raging away deep within his little brother. Lucifer's expressions flitted from desolation and anger; to joy and encouragement. Michael loosened the bonds holding his brother in place, but Lucifer made no move to save Sam. He was enjoying it. Of course he was. He was the devil. He lived for torture and pain. Michael backed away from Sam, convinced that he had done his work. Lucifer would do what was needed. He always did. Finally Lucifer's expression settled on horrified as his body moved, seemingly of its own accord, towards the torture devices, and his hand picked up a bowie knife of its own free will. "No, no, no, no. No! Stop! I don't want to do this. No! Please, don't make me. Please. I don't want to hurt him anymore. No. No! I'm so sorry Sam, I'm so sorry. Stop!" Lucifer cried out, repulsed by the way his body moved without his permission, the way his heartbeat picked up in anticipation as he pressed the blade to Sam's face. His Grace was betraying him, it was corrupted beyond repair, and now Sam was going to suffer the consequences. Flesh was torn open, blades's danced, screams escaped tortured lips, Grace was tainted, tears were shed, and unwilling eyes were forced to witness it all. "Oh Father, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry Sammy." Sam looked up at the by now blood-coated Lucifer, and gave him a shaky smile. His voice was raspy, and his breath was ragged. "It's okay Dean. It's okay. You can't help it. It's okay. Just, sing for me, please."

_And as we wind on down the road _

_Our shadows taller than our soul. _

_There walks a lady we all know _

_Who shines white light and wants to show _

_How everything still turns to gold. _

Lucifer's wings unfurled, and the sight of the scarlet feathers made him sick. The ash, sulphur fires and smoke had taken their toll on his wings, and they were now laced with a deathly blackness that imitated his hopeless Grace. Lucifer purposely avoided looking at his wings, even as he tore Sam to pieces, for they were no comfort. Red was not love, it was not beauty, it was not a blessing. Red was the blood on his hands, red was the hatred burning in Michael's eyes, red was Hell. Red was his curse.

_And if you listen very hard _

_The tune will come to you at last. _

_When all are one and one is all _

_ To be a rock and not to roll._

_And she's buying a stairway to heaven._

* * *

**A/N Maybe shed some tears for poor old Lucifer? I dunno, just, please? The poor baby. :( hmm... maybe if I get some reviews then Lucifer can finally stop torturing sammy, and Michael will leave him along and rot in hell the stupid little piece of..._ I need to stop_. Okay, so sorry for all the Michael hate in this chapter, I just really hate the asshole. Okay! LOOK FORWARD TO MORE CHAPTERS IN THE NEAR OR DISTANT FUTURE! :D **_~Sammy_


	8. And the Star will watch you sleep

**A/N Okay, yeah, I haven't updated this story in so long it practically died on me, but I was just so caught up in writing all my other fics, and I was also working on this book that I'm trying to have typed up and done by august so, yeah, BUSY ME. Oh, and Goodbye Stranger was one of those episodes where I bawled from the first second to the last. So, I also had to cope with a shitload of tears while writing this chapter. Ugh. I know that this fic is going really slow, but I swear that this is getting somewhere! promise! I DO NOT WRITE PLOTLESS STUFF. Oh, and this chapter is not as long as my last one because I can't possibly keep writing a shit-ton of stuff in one chapter. Enjoy! :) **_~Sammy_

* * *

Lucifer shoved the blade into his vessel's heart, and smiled. His forehead crumpled in concentration, emotions warring behind his eyes, and finally he triumphed. The sardonic grin morphed into a look of horror, disgust, and despair. He willed his fingers to pull out the knife, wincing at the sound of metal on flesh, hating the way his lips twitched into a small smile despite his struggle for control. Yet Lucifer steeled himself, and fought on, refusing to relent, denying himself the ease of letting his Grace take over, of letting that voice rule him once again.

_When there's a will, there's a way._ Lucifer used to laugh at that silly human saying. After all, how could _Will_, a pathetic quality that weakened these humans, ever hope to overcome the might of Fate, of Destiny, of Father's Word? It was ridiculous to even consider the idea.

Lucifer understood now. His Grace was rebelling; it was trying to take control over his heart. The very heart that Lucifer was not supposed to have, the heart that caused him to Fall, the heart that was burnt to ashes the moment he was tossed into Hell. Yet Lucifer found himself willing his rioting Grace into submission, willing that voice to fall silent, willing himself to have the strength to overcome his archangel powers, and willing himself to keep up the battle, to not give in. Willing himself to remember what he was fighting for, the humans, the _mortals_, who had settled into his forbidden heart.

Lucifer wrenched the dagger out of Sam's chest, and dropped it, the metal clanking against the frosty floor. "Oh Father, I'm sorry Sam, oh, I... _Sammy_." Sam's eyes shot open, and he gave Lucifer a glare that could cause wildfires. His gaze was the most lucid Lucifer had seen in a while, and Sam's voice was level, not even sounding the least bit out of breath. "You don't get to call me that. You're not Dean."

Sam sneered at the Devil, and Lucifer had to resist the urge to slap some sense into the young man. Nevertheless, his hand curled into a fist, and his arm tensed, ready to pummel Sam to pulp. Lucifer looked at Sam, taking in the bloodshot hazel eyes that held more hate than he had ever witnessed before in a mortal. Lucifer took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down. His fist uncurled, and Lucifer struggled to plaster a warm smile onto his face. "Alright then, shall I just call you Sam?"

Sam's lips pursed, he looked severely annoyed. "You don't need to call me anything. In fact, it's better if you just shut the fuck up." Lucifer's face fell, and his next words were soft, "Sam, I... I can't keep doing this if you... I can't control myself if I'm angry and..._please_ Sam, _please_."

Sam would rather swallow a gallon of battery acid than be civil towards the devil, but something stopped him from spitting out the cruel words that waited on the tip of his tongue. He swallowed anxiously, and grimaced at the bitterness coating the insides of his mouth. Lucifer's eyes widened as he took in Sam's discomfort, and his brow furrowed in concentration before a flute of champagne appeared in his hand. Lucifer grinned cheekily before putting the glass to Sam's mouth, and pouring the champagne down Sam's parted lips. Sam seriously contemplated spitting out the beverage for a moment, but it soothed his ravaged throat. So he swallowed, and watched as Lucifer's eyes lit up at the action.

Sam, confused to no end, resorted to sarcasm in order to get some answers out of the fallen archangel, "Really? _Champagne_? Wine not good enough for you anymore?" Lucifer's lips twitched upwards, "No, actually, it's just that... champagne is better for sore throats. Wine's almost as bad as whiskey... or vodka." Lucifer shuddered, exaggerating the movement and chuckling.

Sam was lost. Lucifer was behaving like they were childhood best friends, cracking jokes, poking fun at Sam and taking care of him. But... he was the _Devil_, the pulsating meaty walls of the cage and the open wounds all over his body reminded him as much. Yet Sam found himself feeling comfortable with Lucifer, found himself feeling a camaraderie that he had only ever found before with his brother. It scared Sam to no end, but he couldn't make it go away.

Sam told the part of him that was scolding him for sympathizing with the devil, that he was only doing it for self preservation. That being nice to Lucifer meant that the torture wouldn't be that bad. It really did work, every time Sam pleaded with Lucifer, begging him to stop, Lucifer would pause. The fallen angel's eyes would shift from cold, hard, and hate-filled, to soft, and full of sorry tears. His features would morph and twist and it was as if a great struggle had been won when Lucifer dropped his blades, when he stepped away from the rack, when he choked out apologies. If he didn't know better, Sam would think that Lucifer was fighting against the urge to torture, the need to cause agony, the compulsion to exert all the cruelty of a broken creature.

Then, so abruptly that Sam could barely catch up with the change, the laughter disappeared from the fallen angel's face, the light left his eyes, and the cage was suddenly so cold, it burned away at Sam's flesh. Screams ripped through all of Hell, and every demon paused to watch the once-almighty God-of-Hell lose his futile grip on his Grace. The Morningstar's lips twisted into a vindictive grin, his sharp teeth flashing as his poor vessel cried out. Flesh was melted, bones were snapped, fires ate away at muscle, ice was shoved into the frantically beating heart, the hazel eyes were torn to shreds, and then it began again, as the forsaken soul of Sam Winchester witnessed and bore the brunt of Lucifer's losing battle.

Throughout it all, the screams, the cries, the bloodshed, the waves of cruelty and Sin, through every second of it, Lucifer wept. In the one precious second where the devil paused his remorseless games to wipe away the free-falling tears, Sam did something, said something, which was impossible. Yet, it truly did happen, for as soon as the words were uttered, the screaming ceased, the blood stopped streaming, the knives were dropped, the cage was no longer trembling in the wake of torture. Sam took a deep breath, and said, "Hey... Hey, Luce, it's okay. It's not your fault. And... you can call me Sammy."

* * *

Lucifer shoved the blade into his vessel's heart, and smiled. He pulled the knife out with a sickening squelch that he sincerely hoped was too soft for her to hear, and pressed his fingers over the heavily bleeding wound. Streams of Grace flowed through his hands into the gash, mending the injury in a second. He could feel every sinew being stitched back together, could feel ever fiber being mended, could feel every drop of blood being forced back into place, but he knew that to her, it was just a flash of light and immediate healing. When he finally finished patching up the heart he had stabbed rather mercilessly, he glanced up at her, and wasn't disappointed in the least.

Sabiem's jaw was hanging open, shock, wonder and awe all bundled up into a delightful package behind her expressive emerald eyes. She reached out with a trembling hand, and brushed her fingers against the place where there had been a gaping hole not five seconds before. There wasn't even the slightest of marks; it was as if she had imagined the dagger plunging into his chest.

"What… how did you… that was amazing." Sabiem's voice was soft, and slightly strained. When Lucifer chuckled, she finally dared to meet his eyes, and saw the humor shining behind the warm brown that was his eyes. She shivered when he ran his fingers over her arm, a cold tingling of energy pulsating from his fingertips into her skin. He leaned forward, brushing his lips against her, and pulled back until there was he barest hint of distance between their faces. Lucifer's breath blew against her cheeks, cold and sweet, as he whispered softly, "We call it our Grace. Father gave it to us, so that we could perform miracles for this world." Sabiem twisted around until she was sitting in Lucifer's lap, he head resting against his cold-yet-somehow-still-warm chest, her gaze never wavering from his. She reached up and twisted a lock of Lucifer's jet-black hair around her fingers. "Tell me about your father. Tell me about your home. You already know about my life on Earth, I want to know about you."

"Well, we are angels, heavenly warriors… that's why you call us Regiments. I'm an Archangel, one of the most important angels, even though I'm just the angel of music. There are a lot of other archangels, but I and my three brothers, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are father's favorites. Michael is the General of the angels, he controls our army. Raphael is the angel of healing, and Gabriel is father's messenger."

Sabiem considered the information for a moment before nodding to herself, and looking at Lucifer expectantly. "Does every angel have a… purpose? Or is it only the archangels?" Lucifer smirked a bit, and shook his head, "No, every one of us has a job to do. We all have our areas of expertise… Father made us for a reason; we have no reason to exist if we don't do our duties." At this, Sabiem smiled, a mischievous glint I her jade eyes, and she deadpanned, "I can think of a few reasons for you to exist." Lucifer stared at her, wide eyed, for a second before bursting into a fit of mirth. Lucifer wiped away a few tears that had escaped his eyes during his laughter, and kissed Sabiem on her cheek. "Of course you can… You are incorrigible." Sabiem put up a pretty convincing act of being offended before poking Lucifer's nose and flashing a smile, "Oh, please, you know you love me." Lucifer planted his lips on the top of her head, and sighed, "Fine, alright you caught me, I _love_ you, you silly thing." "Oh yeah? Well then, tell me about your home."

"Heaven is beautiful, Sabiem. When a soul departs from this world, reapers take it its own personal heaven. Everybody has a heaven, a place where they can be at peace forever. There is no pain, no hunger, no want; it's where a soul will always shine its brightest." Lucifer's eyes were bright, but then they dimmed just a little, just enough to darken dangerously. "Heaven is perfect, too perfect. Father tells us what to do, and we follow His every Word. I love Him so much, Sabiem, but… Heaven seems so wrong sometimes. The rest of the angels listen, follow, but they never think. They just blindly go about doing things for the _greater good_." Lucifer snorts. "_As if_. They are just stupid mindless sheep. I love my brothers and sisters, I always will, but sometime Sabiem, I just want to get away."

Sabiem caught a falling teardrop with her fingers, and wiped it away. Lucifer was staring at the sky, his pupils dilated, a strange longing in his eyes. Sabiem let him wallow in his thoughts for a few moments before deciding that she had had enough, and hitting Lucifer's shoulder lightly to get his attention. Lucifer jumped slightly, and looked down at her incredulously. "Why did you hit me?" Sabiem raised an eyebrow and sighed, dragging her hand don her face in exasperation. It seemed that even all knowing archangels could be ridiculously oblivious at times. "Why do you think I hit you? You were going all gloom and doom on me. Can't let you spiral into a pit of depression now, can I?" Lucifer blinked in surprise, and said without thinking, "None of my brothers ever do that."

Sabiem was amazed. All that talk of a close family, and they don't even care about their brother having all kinds of dark thoughts? That was one messed up family. "What _do_ your brothers do?" "Gabriel never snaps me out of it, he says I should get all the angst out of my system, and then he gives me all kinds of sweet things to eat when I'm done crying. Raphael just keeps trying to find a cure for tears every time, he treats me sort of like an experiment. Michael… well, Michael just tells me that feeling emotion is something that only humans can do. He says that I'm just trying to get everybody's attention, and that everyone should just ignore me." Lucifer's eyes were downcast again, and Sabiem's heart broke when she saw the tears he was trying to hold back. Her angel shouldn't look so devastated; it was every single kind of _wrong._

Sabiem scrunched up her nose as she tried to think up of ways to cheer up the morose Regiment in front of her. Lucifer noticed her expression, and couldn't help the small smile that crossed his lips, and a thought passed through his head- Sabiem looked absolutely adorable. Lucifer kissed the tip of her nose, and chuckled when she shot him a disgruntled look. Sabiem wasn't fooled though, the laugh was too forced, the smile was too strained, the normally vibrant eyes were dark and brooding. She huffed, annoyed, and leaned away from Lucifer's chest, refusing to fall back into his arms even as her heart lurched at the loss of contact. She jumped up to her feet and held out a hand for him. Lucifer peered at her suspiciously for a moment before placing his hand in hers and letting her attempt to haul him to his feet. He let her sweat it out for a few seconds before she gave up and he jumped to his feet, chuckling softly, their fingers still intertwined.

Sabiem tugged on Lucifer's hand and led him over to the far end of the hill they had claimed as their own, the one they had spent days and nights sprawled across, watching the clouds and the stars. There, next to that blessed boulder where they had first set eyes on each other, was a hut. It was a small one, modest, cozy, perfect. Lucifer loved the wide open spaces of Heaven, loved being able to watch Father's creations unfold and morph into the most beautiful things, loved being surrounded by the Grace of his brothers and sisters that never seemed to shine as bright as his own. Yet, more than anything else, he loved living in that miniscule hut with Sabiem, having Sabiem curl up in his arms, having her play with his vessel's hair, having her lips pressed against his, having her whisper over and over that she loved him.

Sabiem pulled her hand out of Lucifer's and almost danced over to the boulder, a mischievous smile in place on her lips. She sat down on the large flat surface of the rock, crossing her legs, her brown hair whipping around in the wind. Lucifer decided that he had had enough of walking, and he flew over to Sabiem in the blink of an eye. Sabiem didn't even flinch, she was completely accepting of all the strange things that came with Lucifer. Lucifer was tucking his wings back out of sight when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked up to see Sabiem staring at his wings. His wings flexed as she took in the red plumage. Lucifer cleared his throat, and moved his wings again, trying to hide them away, but Sabiem reached out and held on to one of his wings. Shock ran through Lucifer, his muscles tensing even as a smile graced his lips, unbidden. Something stirred in his vessel. Sabiem ran a finger over one of the feathers, and whispered, "No, don't hide them. I want to… Can I touch them?" Lucifer nodded shakily, incapable of forming coherent thoughts, let alone words.

Sabiem stroked the crimson feathers, relishing the silken softness as her fingers glided over them. The feathers were every shade of red she had ever seen; it was an entire sunset, an entire dawn sky, on each wing. Gold streaked through the feathers, a bronze and coppery sheen coating every piece of down. Specks of silver accentuated the sharp edges, the barest hints of darkness at he tips of the wings. Sabiem was awed. She dug her fingers deeper into the lush plumage, and smirked when Lucifer moaned. She played with the feathers, pushing them so they stuck up in all directions, eliciting another groan of delight from the regiment's lips.

Lucifer was in Heaven. Not the place where he grew up surrounded by the light of his Father, but somewhere so much better. Sabiem was doing things to his feathers that should never be allowed, should never be done, because Sin was triumphing. Lucifer held himself perfectly still as Sabiem explored his wings, not wanting to know what he would do if he lost control on his vessel's body. Sabiem was smiling like she knew _exactly_ what Lucifer was going through, and she kneaded her fingers even further into his feathers, pulling a breathless sound from him that was just so… Sinful. Lucifer felt his control slipping. It was lost completely when Sabiem's fingertips grazed against the point where the wings met his shoulder blades. His corporeal wings stretched out to their full length, his actual wings encompassing the entire skyline, glimmering like millions of diamonds. He wasn't called the Morningstar for nothing.

Lucifer gave in to the demands of his vessel, of his grace, of his heart. He pulled Sabiem forward, wrapping her hair around his fingers and kissing her more fiercely than he ever had before. Sabiem responded just as passionately, pulling on his feathers with a rush of adrenaline coursing through her. He pulled her onto his lap; her hands tightened their grip on the base of his outstretched wings. Lucifer could taste her cinnamon-breath; she could taste the electricity of his Grace. Lucifer prayed that Father would forgive him, for if this was Sin, then he would Sin for the rest of his existence.

* * *

The day bled into night, the heavenly bodies: stars, but some could be called angels, watched over the mortals: the humans, but some would be called the most beautiful creations; as they slept. Heaven did not need the sleep, the mortals did, but both welcomed it as it was Peaceful. Pride, Joy, Grief, Wrath, Agony, it all was swept away with Dreaming. And one star, the brightest, watched over one mortal, the most perfect. The mortal awoke, green eyes meeting brown. "What is it?" said the mortal, sleep lining every word. The star was silent for a few moments that could have passed as an eternity, before it spoke, almost shyly. "I wanted to ask you something." The mortal shook away the sleep, all of her attention on her star. "What?" The star's gaze lifted up to the sky, its home, yet it stayed where it was, on earth, with its mortal. "Sabiem…" the star's voice was thick, foreign, yet it was the most familiar thing for the mortal. "Sabiem, will you marry me?" The mortal was silent, this silence stretching far beyond the forever of the silence that preceded it. "_Yes_." The star never shone brighter, and the mortals were never graced with a joy so complete. Heaven and earth, in that moment, were one.

* * *

**A/N Sabiem is Lucifer's unicorn! (8x17 reference for you guys. sorry.) Do what you gotta do, review, cry, smash your computer to bits, track me down and shoot me point-blank for writing angsty crap, whatever. :) **_~Sammy_


	9. My wings will be the first word of Truth

**A/N Okay, first off, I am ****_so_****sorry. I haven't updated this story in almost two months now, and if you want to send a pack of hellhounds after me, be my guest. It's just that I ****_couldn't_****. I was stuck on this chapter for ****_ages_****, just wondering what direction I wanted to send this in. I was tired of having 2K+ word count chapters and having absolutely ****_nothing_****happen in them. I needed some conflict/resolution. So, in this chapter, ****_stuff actually occurs_****. It's not just a ridiculously fluffy account of romance with a dash of angst. There is ****_actual_**** plot development. Okay, now, I'm done with my self-criticism, so you can go ahead and read what was a month and a half in making. Enjoy! :)**_ ~Sammy_

* * *

_Compromise. _What an utterly _human_ notion. Angels had no need for compromise; they simply took what they wanted, nothing more, nothing less. And yet here he was, _compromising_. For a _human_. Funnily enough, it was that same human who made his compromise seem like less of a curse, and more of a blessing. Because, it could have gone the other way in the blink of an eye, it could have been worse. _So much worse_. So then there was a compromise, a human notion. A compromise upon which rested his sanity. Still, it wasn't so much a compromise as a loophole that had been discovered and exploited to its full extent.

One day of torture, for an hour of control.

Deal of the millennia, right there…

_Yeah, right_.

The screams had finally faded as the throat was ravaged and shredded into silence. The bones had finally ceased to have any more points at which they could be broken. The skin was covered with burns and lacerations, so the fresh scars were an intriguing, beautiful, horrifying pattern. The breaths were ragged, short, futile. The devil and his vessel were finally through another day.

Lucifer lifted a steady hand and cupped Sam's battered cheek in his palm. Icy, dark, tainted Grace flowed through his fingertips and Sam was whole again. His eyes were bright hazel again, not gaping burnt out voids. His lips curled into an actual smile, not a frown carved into his face with a butcher knife. His heart beat away happily behind his ribs, not lying in a corner, drained and bruised. Sam was _Sam_ again.

Sam grinned widely and burst into a short relieved laugh. "Has it been a day? I didn't notice."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes. "Didn't notice, huh? Yeah, and Father decided to make Sunday a working day. I call bullshit Sam."

Sam blushed a bit, his dimples deepening into a bashful smile. "Alright, so I noticed. It's hard not to count down the minutes to when nothing hurts anymore. Sorry for trying to spare your feelings, Jeesh."

Lucifer hummed, unable to think of a better answer. "Well, just hold up a second Sammy, I'll just get you down from here."

Sam hissed as Lucifer gently lifted him off of the rack and put him down on a long couch. Lucifer murmured an apology and brushed his fingertips against Sam's temple, taking the pain away with a single stroke. Sam sat back, relearning the soft texture and springy feel of the cushions because, for a day, all he knew was blood and fire and ice and hardness and _agony_. He had to think about every breath he took, because he seemed to have forgotten _how_ to breathe normally, but at least it didn't feel like lava was flowing into his lungs. He smiled widely again, because smiling just felt so _good_ after twenty four hours of his face contorting into shapes he hadn't known were possible. He stretched out on the couch and sighed, because the rack was cramped and twisted your limbs into the strangest and most painful positions ever. He prepared to talk, because after a days worth of screaming and curses and shouts and whimpers, conversation was all he really needed.

Lucifer flopped down onto the couch next to Sam putting his arms behind his head and cocking his head to one side, considering the human sprawled next to him. Lucifer dared to reach out with his Grace and poke Sam's side before grinning cheekily. Sam shook his head indulgently, looking impossibly like a parent trying not to react to their tornado-child's antics.

Sam was simply lounging about; trying _so_ hard not to listen to Adam's screams and Michael's nefarious cackling, when Lucifer's voice interrupted his attempts. "So, Sam, what do you want to do? We've still got forty three and a half minutes of peace."

Lucifer felt Sam's shoulders brush against his as the young man shrugged. "Let's just talk for a while."

Lucifer smirked. Sam _always_ wanted to talk. He snapped his fingers and a bowl of popcorn appeared in his lap. Lucifer shoved it under Sam's nose, frowning until the former hunter shoved a few kernels into his mouth. "Alright then, what do you want to talk about?"

Sam just sat silently for a few precious seconds, twisting his hands in his lap and rubbing his palms on the denim of the jeans Lucifer had snapped into existence for him, before speaking in a voice that was soft and barely audible to anything but archangel ears. "Tell me about your life with Michael. The one you had _before_ you got kicked out of heaven."

"_Why?_" Why would _anybody_ want to know that? _Everybody _assumed that Lucifer was jealous of humanity, of Michael, of everything Father loved but him. So _how_ could Sam possibly ask him that?

"I want to know what was so bad that you couldn't fix it." Sam was practically mumbling now and when Lucifer poked about in his brain, he was assaulted by a barrage of memories that weren't his, but _Sam's_. Memories of warm green eyes and an easy smile. _Dean_. Then the emerald eyes hardened, the lips twisted into a scowl. Where once there was nothing but love and trust shining through, now there was only hatred, fear, disbelief. Cruel words replaced reassuring ones. A constant presence was substituted for a motel door slamming shut with finality. _If I didn't know you, I would _hunt_you. You're a bloodsucking freak, a monster. You chose a demon over your own family!_ Lucifer cringed. He'd thought that his fights with Michael were bad, but he'd never really considered the rift between the Winchesters before. The distant anger made the violent, bloody, desperate battles of the world wars look like Saturday morning snowball fights between five years olds.

Sam hung his head low and continued. "I want to know what went wrong… If it could have been stopped. Or if it was the way that things _had_ to be. If it was just the way destiny was written." Lucifer had a feeling that Sam wasn't just talking about him and Michael anymore.

"Oh Sammy…" he murmured, the two words were hopeless, lost, useless.

Sam's eyes hardened. "So _tell me_. Tell me why it happened. I want- Lucifer, I _need_ to know."

Lucifer shifted and sat up, pushing Sam into a position where he could look the young man straight in the eye. He sighed, and then steeled himself before launching into a topic he never spoke about, never had any _reason _to_. _"You see Sam, it wasn't too bad at the start. Heck, it was almost perfect. It _was _perfect. It was said that Michael and I used to be inseparable, you never saw one of us without the other. The Host believed that I loved Michael, second only to my Father. We weren't really _that_ close, but I _did_ adore him. Sure, Michael was a stuck-up little prick, but we little brothers have a tendency to overlook our big brother's shortcomings, don't we Sam?"

Sam's lips curled upwards just a little. It was a small smile, barely there, but it was enough for Lucifer to keep ploughing on, even as his heart shattered.

"We had our fights, all of us did. Michael would pick on me, I'd pick on Gabriel, Gabriel would prank both of us, and Raphael would just try to keep us all from killing each other. You know… your everyday usual family drama. Just, with the added perks of being angels.

"I was teaching Gabriel all the tricks I knew; I loved the little guy _way_ too much. Of course, most of the time, I'd end up on the receiving end of modified versions of all the pranks I'd taught him. Serves me right for encouraging his mischief. Even Michael managed to stop glaring at everything, for some time, just to laugh whenever Gabriel was around. I think that's why he did it, so that we'd just stop fighting, and be a family again, just for a while. The kid never _did_ like conflict; it was the one thing that scared him. Do you have any idea how _proud_ I was of him when he stood up to me back on earth? It hurt, oh Father, it _really hurt_, but I was still so proud of him. Of course, I'd wished that he would join me, but I should have known better. Should have known that you and your brother would convince him to help you."

Lucifer's throat caught for a moment, and he had to swallow a few times before he no longer felt like he was choking on his grief. Sam frowned a bit. "Do you miss him? Gabriel?"

Lucifer nodded. "I really do Sammy. It still haunts me, his face, from when I… from when I _murdered him_." Tear's fell, silvery-black, just like his Grace.

Sam nudged Lucifer's shoulder with his own, forcing the devil to raise his head and look at him. "Hey, stop. Stop blaming yourself. It wasn't _you_, okay? It was not _you_. It was your Grace, your sword, your action, but it wasn't _you_."

Lucifer took a deep breath, and drew strength from the absolute _belief_ shining in Sam's eyes. He could see why Heaven hated Sam so much, why Hell always seemed to be able to manipulate the young man. He could see why it was just as easy to loathe him as it was to adore him. He could see why Sam was the one meant to be his true vessel. It was because Sam wasn't pure but rather, he was a beautiful mix, because he was good intentions and bad company_,_ because he was_free._ Sam was flawed _perfection_.

Time was running out though, the hour's respite halfway over, and Lucifer owed it to Sam to be strong, to tell him what the young hunter needed to know. "Michael wasn't perfect, contrary to what almost all the angels believed. I think that Gabriel and I were the only ones who really knew what he did with his spare time. I used to overlook it, used to believe that it wasn't a horrible reality, but the truth caught up to me eventually. And Michael didn't want his secret getting out. I know all the angels must've told you and Dean that I wanted to destroy the earth, and Michael wanted to save it, but they couldn't have been father from the truth. Michael would have destroyed your home too, just, not the way I would have. Not with subtlety, and a chance at redemption, but swiftly, raining down the _righteous anger_ of the Host on your planet. He was all for violence and fury. If you'd seen our particularly horrible fights, you would have understood."

The corners of Sam's lips were pulled down, and a tiny furrow formed between his eyebrows. "Were the fights really that bad?"

Lucifer sighed, the action carrying eon's worth of weight and regret. "They were worse Sammy, they were much worse…"

* * *

_Gabriel…_

_**Lucifer? What is it?**_

_Just come here, I need to talk to you._

_**Okay… Give me a second; I'm not in the right timeline.**_

Lucifer sighed and shook his head, chuckling. Leave it to Gabriel to go time traveling just for kicks. The archangel sat down, cross-legged, on the soft springy grass, and looked up at the starry sky that stretched over his personal heaven. He stretched out his arm and traced out the shapes of the constellations with his fingertips, saying hello to each and every star, to his family. He was almost done greeting the closest ones when he heard a distant flapping sound that grew progressively louder.

Lucifer ignored the rustle that was Gabriel landing on the grass and tucking his wings away; and continued to silently speak to the stars, brushing his fingertips against the soft light, the tiny pinpricks tickling his hands. Lucifer heard Gabriel sigh before sensing his brother's movement next to him. Gabriel flopped onto the grass and stared up at the stars too. "Saying hello?"

Lucifer nodded, still not taking his eyes off of the skies. "I haven't had the chance to talk to them in so long. The stars are too far away from Earth. I can't touch them when I'm there. I missed them."

Gabriel snorted. "Huh. And all this time I was thinking you came back because you missed _me_. I'm hurt Luce."

Lucifer's gaze didn't even waver from the stars, but he still managed to punch Gabriel's arm. "Shut up Gabriel, you know what I meant."

"Yeah, yeah, alright, I know what you meant. Now did you want to talk to me about something or am I just supposed to watch you interact with entire galaxies in complete silence? 'Cause, you know, as _fascinating_ as that would be, I don't understand what the stars say and I would get bored, so… spill."

Lucifer finally tore his eyes away from the sky to look at Gabriel. "I… Gabriel, _what_ in the name of Father is _that_?"

Gabriel glanced down at the half-eaten bar of chocolate that Lucifer was staring at like it had sprouted wings and was breathing fire. (Which, actually, was a _really_ good idea, but that would have to wait for later.) "This? _This,_ my dear brother, is something I brought back fromthe future. It's chocolate. Remember that nasty smelling foul tasting broth the Aztec gods made with cacao beans? Well, in the future, humans have used those beans to make the most amazing things ever. They're called chocolate bars. This one seems to be called a… _Mars bar_."

Lucifer barked out a laugh. "A _Mars bar?_ Seriously? They named their chocolate after the roman god of _War_? What's next? _Aphrodite rope_?!"

Gabriel snickered, and Lucifer chuckled a bit louder. The utter ridiculousness soon had both the archangels in hysterics, laughing until tears were rolling down their cheeks.

Lucifer drew in a deep breath as he struggled to regain his composure. "Oh Father, these humans are impossible."

Gabriel gasped for air. The angels may not need it, but oxygen was strangely calming. "You're telling me. Don't even get me started on those strange things they call _Twinkies. _They're delicious, of course, but these humans are _far_ too obsessed with them... Now, I know for a _fact_ that you did not call me here so you could talk about what an odd bunch humans are. What'd you want to tell me Luce?"

Lucifer was immediately sobered down, but the smile didn't leave his face. "I bear good tidings Gabriel."

Gabriel laughed, "_Hey! _Stop stealing all my lines big brother. Get your _own_ catch-phrase."

"Oh, _shut up_ Gabriel. Do you want to know or not?"

"Duh, I want to know. That _is_ why you came back up to heaven, isn't it?"

Lucifer rubbed a hand against the back of his neck. "Yeah, I guess so. It's… well, um, it's… it's about Sabiem."

Gabriel frowned. "You didn't leave her again did you? Because I swear Luce, if you were _thatstupid_ again, I will personally kick your ass to-"

"I did _not_ leave her Gabriel. Relax. It's not anything bad. It's good news."

"Well then, are you going to keep being a cryptic smart-ass or are you going to tell me?"

"Sabiem and I are married."

A beat of silence passed. One archangel blushing a fierce red and once again refusing to look away from the stars. The other rendered speechless, his amber wings shooting open and twitching in his surprise.

"_What?"_

"Look Gabriel, I know that father forbade it, and I am fully prepared to face the consequences, but the thing is that, I love her and I want to be with her for as long as possible, and nothing anybody says will change that. I'll do anything for her, because I love her more than anything and-"

Lucifer was cut off by Gabriel leaning forward and wrapping his arms around him in a tight embrace.

"Gabriel, what are you-"

"Congratulations brother. You deserve it."

Lucifer was frozen in place, but he still had a smile on his face. "Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?"

Gabriel pulled back, and flicked Lucifer's arm with his fingers. "Ha. Ha. Ha. _Very funny _Luce. Shut up. You know what I'm trying to say."

"I can honestly say that I don't."

"Idiot. I'm _saying_, that if anybody deserves to love and be loved, it is you. She's good for you, I can see that. I haven't seen you smile this much since we were fledglings and we played hide-and-go-seek in father's lap. I'm happy for you Luce."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes and peered at Gabriel for what felt like eternity. Gabriel met his gaze fearlessly, although he was freaking out on the inside; one harsh word away from a heavenly panic-attack. (Which would most probably end up with a continent or two suffering from some severe flooding and earthquakes. Best case scenario.)

After the two archangels had stared at each other long enough for the sun to pass from one horizon to the next, with the two heavenly bodies frozen in place, finally, Lucifer cracked the silence, with a single deep breath that was a cyclone over some large ocean. (Hundreds of terrified mortals prayed to their Gods for mercy and forgiveness.)

Gabriel braced himself for something, _anything_, when Lucifer moved his arms. The Messenger was caught completely off guard, however, when his brother pulled him into a hug. Six pairs of corporeal and ethereal wings surrounded both of them. The embrace was that of copper and white skinned arms, honey and blood plumage, topaz and diamond wings. When Lucifer pulled away, tears shone in his eyes.

"_Thank you_ Gabriel. Thank you for everything."

Gabriel sighed softly. "I'd do anything for you Luce, you know that."

Lucifer smiled. "I know you would Gabriel. I-"

_**Lucifer. Gabriel. Come meet me at once.**_

_Michael? What's going on?_

_**Just come here Lucifer. Now.**_

_'Here' being where, exactly?_

_**I'm in my chapel. Bring Gabriel with you.**_

_**Why do **__**I**____**have to meet you?**_

_**Gabriel, do not question me. I expect to see both of you. Do not keep me waiting.**_

Gabriel rolled his eyes as he patted Lucifer's shoulders. "Wonder what stick got shoved up his ass _this_ time."

Lucifer frowned at his little brother. "Gabriel don't-"

"Yeah, yeah, _be respectful_ and all that jazz. Whatever. You coming or what?"

"You go ahead, brother, I'll see you there."

"Alright Luce, but don't blame me if Michael decides to go all bitchy at you when you show up late."

"Oh _please_ Gabriel, I could give you a three year head-start and still beat you there."

"_Excuse me_ but I am _not _that slow. I'll have you know-"

Lucifer chuckled and shoved Gabriel into the air. "Just _go_ Gabriel."

Gabriel made some rather unholy gestures with his right hand before turning away, a smirk in place on his lips, his caramel wings beating, quick and powerful, and he flew towards Michael's chapel.

_Michael knows._ Lucifer shuddered as the voice sent a chill down his wings. _Michael knows, and he's gong to take her away from you._ "No he won't. Michael does not know." _Oh but he __**does**_**. **_Why do you think he called you to his so-called __**chapel**__. _The voice dripped with disgust. _It's ridiculous. Michael is the one who runs around using humans like they are replaceable, and yet, he is the one the Host looks to when they wish to believe in the greatness of humanity. What a hypocrite. "_Just, shut up. I don't know why Michael summoned us. He must have his reasons." _Oh, so now Michael __**summons**__you? Is he equal to Father now? Nobody can __**summon**__you, you're an __**archangel**__. Only God can give you orders. Not Michael. _"SHUT UP. Just, shut up. Stop talking to me, I don't want to listen to you. Go away." _I already told you. I'm not going anywhere. I am __**you**__. You try to get rid of me, you'll just be destroying yourself. _"I don't care, just GO AWAY." _Alright, Lucifer, I will keep my silence for now. But remember this, you can't ignore me forever. One day, you will finally give in..._

Blessed silence followed the icy words, and Lucifer wrapped his wings around himself, trying to keep away the frost surrounding him. Heaven was suddenly too warm, too _dark_. He flapped his wings and shot up into the skies. He beat his wings as hard as he could, gaining speed until he was simply a blur of light. If the mortals had looked up, they would have seen a shooting star burn its way across space.

The Morningstar was at home amongst the other stars. He burned, just as they did. He shone, just as they did. He was all-consuming, just as they were. He was beautiful, just like the stars.

He flew amongst them, body smoldering in a freezing fire, wings nothing more than dancing flames. The other stars were simply embers. Lucifer was the inferno. He was the greatest supernova. The shooting star flew past its siblings, and landed in the Chapel of the Host.

"Lucifer."

Michael was glaring, his fierce eyes full of a fury that would break a lesser angel. Gabriel stood beside him, looking like he was attempting to blend into the opulence of the Chapel and hide from his brother's wrath.

Lucifer tucked his wings away and looked around, taking in the eggshell-white walls, the crystal chandeliers and the gold inlay with a smirk on his face.

Michael growled. "You're late"

"And you did some redecoration. What happened to the stone walls and stain-glass windows?"

"Lucifer_._"

"I mean, personally, I liked it better when it went with the Garden, but, oh well."

"_Lucifer_."

"I mean, if a tacky interior helps you fluff your wings up, who am _I_ to stop you?"

"_**Lucifer**_."

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry brother. I didn't realize that I was late."

Michael paused, confused. Lucifer was ever the punctual angel. "What were you doing?"

"I was flying with the stars."

Michael shook his head, a slight smile slipping onto his angry mask. "I should've anticipated that. You just can't resist them, can you?"

Lucifer shrugged. "_Hae familiae meae_. The stars are my family."

Michael's smile widened and he laughed softly. "Must be nice, having a family like the stars."

"I like my family in Heaven better."

Michael laughed louder then, and pulled Lucifer into a one-armed hug. Gabriel too, was pulled into the embrace, and Michael's two younger siblings exchanged baffled looks. Michael was still laughing, his voice carefree, like it used to be when they were but fledgelings.

"You might love your family here very much Lucifer, but I know that there's a family you love more than this one."

"What?"

Michael grinned. "There's no point hiding it from me Lucifer. I know all about that human of yours, back on Earth."

Suddenly, Gabriel piped up from his self enforced silence. "Don't be ridiculous Michael. Lucifer hasn't fallen for a human."

Michael snorted. "Oh really? Why doesn't Lucifer show me his wings, then?"

Gabriel paled, and Lucifer shook his head. _Nononononononono._ Michael couldn't know. _Oh Father save me._

"Lucifer, show me your wings."

"Uh, I haven't really had time to.. straighten them out in a while so... how about no?"

"I want to see your wings, brother."

The Morningstar simply shook his head once again.

"Lucifer, your _wings_. Right _now_."

"No."

Irritation flitted across Michael's face, before a smirk settled onto his lips. Lucifer could feel dread clawing its way into his Grace. Michael sighed, and unfurled all six of his wings.

Pure white feathers, long, wide, and smooth, covered Michael's corporeal wings. Two Ivory-scaled battle-wings were spread open above the first ones, just a little bit bigger. A pair of milky Grace-wings stretched out over the rest of his wings, pale, great, and imposing.

Michael shook his wings and raised an eyebrow, and Gabriel huffed in annoyance before revealing his own, smaller wings. Hazel feathers, topaz scales, and honey Grace-plumage. The tips of his wings pointed downwards in a, rather forced, show of respect, and Michael's self-satisfied smile widened.

Lucifer's shoulders dropped, but no wings emerged, and Michael frowned. He lifted his own wings higher, so their shadows fell over his younger brother's tall form. "Why Lucifer, don't tell me that you're ignoring your manners now."

Lucifer shrank slightly, and cursed. _Damn angel etiquette_.

"Come, little brother, you know the rules."

_When in another angel's chambers, one must reveal their wings when the angel reveals their own._

Lucifer grimaced, before removing the shrouds over his wings, and shaking them out with a rustle. His Grace-wings were plumed with blood, molten gold, and liquid iron, his battle-wings covered with diamonds and scarlet rubies, the two sets of wings brushing against the edges of the horizon, the high vaulting ceilings of the Chapel unable to contain them. His last pair of wings emerged more slowly, the crimson, copper, and silvery-black feathers soft and sharp.

"You happy Michael? My wings changed, okay? I'm in love with a human."

Michael stared at Lucifer's wings with an expression caught somewhere between awe, horror, smugness, and joy.

"You... Lucifer, you are Falling."

"I know. And I don't regret it."

Michael blinked once, before turning to Gabriel, his expression serious. "Gabriel, go back to your heaven. Now."

Gabriel took one look at the tension set in Michael's wings, and shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Little brother, you cannot be here, please leave."

"No, I-"

"_Now_ Gabriel. Please."

Gabriel's wings ruffled with annoyance, before understanding crossed his face, and his feathers smoothed down again. His amber eyes softened, and filled with a plea. "Fine, but for my sake, could you two just try not to fight for once? I can't take any more. Please."

One quick flap of wings, and he was gone.

Michael let out the breath he had been holding and turned to his brother. Lucifer's shoulders were tensed, as if he was bracing himself from a rebuke, or a strike. Michael's lips twisted into a sad smile, and he put a hand on Lucifer's manifested wings. "Lucifer..."

"I can take whatever you want to throw at me Michael. Whatever you say. You can strike me down, smite me, stab me with your blade, rip out my wings, turn the fury of the Host on me. If you want, I'll stay away from her. Just, promise me you won't hurt her."

Michael froze. "Lucifer, listen to me. I'm not angry. I wouldn't even _think_ of hurting her. Why would I?"

"You're not mad at me?"

"I swear upon Father that I'm not. Actually, I'm grateful. It's helped me understand."

"What?"

"There's a _reason_ I sent Gabriel away. He can't know what I'm about to tell you. Brother, Father spoke to me. He told me of a new creation. Nephilim."

"_Nephilim?_"

"Half-human... and half-angel."

Lucifer felt the blood drain from his vessel's face, and Michael was still smiling.

"I understand now. But I have to warn you brother."

"Warn me of what?"

"Father has great plans for the Nephilim. Bloody, violent, cruel plans. But they _will_ do as their destiny requires, and their fate may just be the end of humanity."

Lucifer's eyes widened, and he took a step back, shaking Michael's hand off of his wing.

_No._

* * *

**A/N Yeah, that's right, ****_wings_****. They're like, ****_really_****important. Also, in case you were wondering, Michael's Chapel ****_is_****, in fact, based off of that room that Zachariah and Castiel trapped Dean in, back in season four. Just another little headcanon of mine. Review, maybe? :) **_~Sammy_


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